


A Father's Love

by United Profilers (Mr_Stylinson)



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Abusive William, Angry Reid, Angst, Bullied Jack, Character Death, Defensive Reid, Dreams and Nightmares, Family Bonding, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Homophobia, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Insecure Reid, Kidnapped Reid, Loneliness, Misunderstandings, No Slash, OT7 Friendship, Parent-Child Relationship, Past Character Death, Past Child Molestation, Past Drug Addiction, Past Drug Use, Past Sexual Abuse, Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Kissing, Protective Hotch, Protective Reid, Recreational Drug Use, Rehabilitation, Reid Can't Drive, Sick Reid, Team as Family, implied/referenced child abandonment
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-22
Updated: 2017-05-24
Packaged: 2018-11-03 17:46:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 59,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10972275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mr_Stylinson/pseuds/United%20Profilers
Summary: The team is given 2 weeks of vacation. Reid is lonely at home and decides to go for a walk but he gets lost. What will Hotch do when he finds the poor young man crying and all alone?





	1. A Father's Love

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this way back in 2011 and had published it on Fanfiction.net at the time. I'll be uploading it to here now too, but I'll be adding chapters individually so I can take the time to check for errors (there seems to be plenty of those). Tags will be updated as well. Warnings don't apply yet, but they will in later chapters, there will be a heads-up for when they do.

The Behavioral Analysis Unit had received two weeks of vacation time. Everyone looked forward to it, except for one.

Supervisory Special Agent Dr. Spencer Reid opened the door to his apartment cautiously just in case a relative or family member of some unsub who had either been put away or killed had broken in and planned to seek revenge of some unthinkable kind. After examining the place, Reid decided that he was safe to let his guard down a little. He took a glance behind him and saw nothing but the somewhat dark parking lot. He entered and quickly shut the door before locking it.

He had just returned from Las Vegas after spending a week with his mother. Now he had another 6 days, 4 hours and 17 minutes of nothing but his empty apartment. He sighed, imagining Morgan telling him that he either needs a girl or some more friends. Spencer never really planned on having a girl, much less a family. Not because of his social problems or self consciousness, but because after Hotch lost Hailey and almost lost Jack to an unsub, George Foyet to be precise, who had no intention other than to bring pain and suffering to the Unit Chief. He didn't really want more friends either, he was happy with the ones he had at the BAU.

He just wished he could spend the rest of his vacation with one or more of them.

He would have stayed longer with Diana, but a week was as long as he permitted by the sanitarium. He had nothing else to do with the second half of his off-time. Loneliness wasn't new to Spencer. He had nobody to talk to when his mother had episodes, he barely had any friends in high school. Jeff was one of the only exceptions he could think of at the moment. Though there was probably more, Reid didn't care to think about them right now.

He liked going to work early and staying late. That way, he wouldn't be alone and he'd be with the people he considers his family. It was only a problem when Hotch or somebody else would eventually make him go home. If he could move his bed there, he would just live at the BAU and never have to be alone.

He didn't speak with his neighbors much. In fact, he rarely heard them. Most people would be grateful to have quiet neighbors, but what Spencer wouldn't give for at least one of them to throw a noisy party every so often just to get rid of the silence that practically suffocated him. He'd try to watch TV, but when Star Trek wasn't on, inaccurate history shows and useless infomercials got pretty boring.

Reading was nice, but it was still rather quiet. And he'd read through all his books seven times already. He didn't have much for music preferences. Beethoven was all he ever listened to. Sure, it eliminated the silence, but it didn't change the fact that no one else was here with him and he was still lonely.

His mind fell back on the team. If only he could spend time with them. Hotch and JJ both had families, Morgan likely had a woman or two with him, Prentiss wasn't home, Garcia and Kevin were having a "sleepover", Rossi liked his privacy, and why the hell Struass ever crossed his mind, he'll never know.

He sighed, having run out of options to pass the rest of the evening. He didn't feel like going to bed early. He was hungry but had no food. He finally decided on a walk, even though it's dark outside and there could very well be a crazed lunatic or two out there.

Spencer was about to head back out when he debated on changing his clothes. It was unusually warm out and his dress shirt, tie and sweater vest probably wouldn't be the best things to wear, not even for a walk. He went to his bedroom and changed into a pair of sweatpants, then for some reason, had a little trouble on what to wear for a shirt. All he could find was mostly his usual type of attire. He had a few plain white T-Shirts but they were all in need of washing. He remembered an "assortment" that Morgan and Garcia had picked for him one time. Biting his lip nervously, the young profiler found the plastic bag and dumped it on his bed.

Laughing slightly at the thought of being able to tell who got what for him, he started to dig through the pile until he grabbed a random shirt. Slowly and reluctantly, he pulled out a red shirt that read "#1 Genius" on the front. _Definitely Garcia._ Maybe he'd wear it if he couldn't find something better. He continued his digging until he pulled out another shirt, a simple white tank top.

Spencer raised an eyebrow at the garment. _Must've been Morgan._ Why he would ever get him such a shirt like that left his brain stumped. He never wore tank tops, they left his body too exposed.

He tossed it aside and dug around some more, looking over and discarding nearly everything he found. _More shirts with funny lines on them. More tank tops? I don't even wear polo shirts!_

Almost ten minutes passed when the young agent realized how ridiculous he was being over shirts when all he was doing is going for a walk. A dark blue shirt caught his eye and he held it up to get a better look at it. The front had white letters "F.B.I." on it.

Shrugging, he slipped on the piece of clothing and grabbed his cell phone, leaving his badge and gun behind. He locked the door and made his way to the sidewalk.

As he begun his stroll, he laughed at himself, thinking of how he had at one point forgot about his loneliness while he was rummaging through all those shirts. His smile faded when the thought of his lonesomeness was again fresh in his mind.

He sighed sadly, knowing it wouldn't be fair to bug any of his teammates when they, unlike himself, had other people to be with. Except Rossi, of course, but Spencer wasn't about to bother him anymore than the others. He focused entirely on his walking, occasionally playing with the print on his shirt, taking in the rough feeling of the big white lettering.

He looked up and realized he'd walked farther than anticipated. He'd been looking at the ground so much, he didn't pay any attention to his surroundings until now. For once, his eidetic memory would be very little help to him, but maybe if he just walked back in the direction he came from, he wouldn't be lost. His hope didn't last long when he wound up at another unfamiliar area.

Spencer gulped and started to tremble. Taking a walk wasn't a good idea.

He didn't have his gun and wearing a shirt with a big white "F.B.I." on it didn't help. His cell phone had full service. That was good at least. He twirled around when he heard a garbage can tip over, only to see that a stray cat was responsible. He wished he was home now. Being lonely at his apartment was better than being frightened at a place he had no clue where he was at. He found a sidewalk but it didn't look like the one he had been walking on before.

He wondered if he should call someone, but didn't want to burden them either. Plus, if he didn't know where he was, how would they? He couldn't see any street signs. Would anyone even get him in time before somebody, or something else did?

Thunder suddenly rumbled and rain drops began to fall. Holding back a whimper of despair, Spencer started to run in a random direction, hoping he would get back to his apartment, or at least someplace he recognized. Being alone at home didn't sound so bad now.

Spencer's energy ran low quicker than he wanted it to. Thanks to his not eating dinner. He hung his head, trying to use his hair as a makeshift shield for his face from the now pouring rain. He tried for another burst of speed but tripped and landed on his hands and knees. A passing car drove by and splashed more water on the young man. He just stayed there and sobbed. He was out here, getting soaked to the bone, all because he couldn't stand being lonely at his apartment. And now, he was lost and crying on the wet sidewalk. He could only imagine the team, shaking their heads at him because of how weak and pathetic he looked. A pickup truck pulled next to him and he jumped to his feet but didn't bother wiping his tears. The rain would hide them.

The window rolled down and Spencer stared in shock at the vehicle's only occupant.

"Reid, what are you doing out here in the rain?" Hotch asked.

Spencer found it difficult to find words. What was he supposed to tell his boss? _Oh gee, I was feeling lonely at home and decided to go for a walk and get lost?_

"I, uh..." Spencer tried to say something but couldn't.

"Hop in." Hotch offered.

Reid obeyed without hesitation but then felt guilty. Hotch noticed but didn't say anything about it and started to drive. Spencer gazed over at the BAU leader, wondering how out of sheer luck their paths crossed.

"Hotch, um, I suppose you're wondering..."

"Why you had broke down on the sidewalk, after 9 PM?"

Spencer gulped and started to blush. "Yeah..."

Silence filled the truck for a moment before Reid noticed the look of expectation on the Unit Chief's face. He sighed then Hotch spoke up.

"Reid, you know you can tell me anything." He glanced briefly at the young doctor.

_It's now or never, I guess._

"I... was just feeling lonely." Spencer said softly.

"So, you went for a walk?"

Reid nodded, now keeping his gaze to the window.

"I guess I got lost." He mumbled, expecting Hotch to give him a small lecture.

"I guess it's a good thing I was at the grocery store then." The older man said, no hint of disappointment in his voice. Spencer was a little surprised by the lack of irritation. He looked at the back seat behind him and could make out a few things in the dark cab. In one of the bags had a container of chocolate and peanut butter ice cream.

Spencer unknowingly licked his lips at the sight of the ice cream and few other goodies he managed to see. He never would have thought of his boss having such a sweet tooth, and surely he wasn't planning on giving this all to Jack.

Now that he thought about it, where was Jack?

"Hotch, where-" He tried to ask but was cut off.

"He's spending the night with Jessica." Hotch replied casually. Reid wondered why Hotch wouldn't take advantage of this chance he got to spend time with his son, but decided not to question him.

Spencer felt his eyes start water when his apartment complex came into view. He couldn't bring himself to ask Hotch if he could just stay at his house. The stern, unreadable look on his face made it even harder. Hotch had already done enough picking him up in the pouring down rain and driving him home.

Home. What he calls that cold, lonely apartment of his.

At least he got to spend an awkward and slightly embarrassing moment with someone. Spencer felt even more guilty when he realized the seat he'd been sitting in was now as wet as he was. He saw the entryway to the parking lot approaching to the left. He leaned against the cold surface of the window and closed his eyes, failing to hold back a single sob.

His eyes shot open in time to see the apartment complex pass by after realizing that Hotch never slowed down, nor make the turn.

Spencer felt the urge to say something, but at the same time, wanted to keep quiet. Which was ironic since quiet was all he ever heard at home. The young man stared blankly out the front window, missing the smile that was forming on the Unit Chief's face.

Inside, he was happy. He so very wanted to spend time with someone, anyone really. He was also becoming more guilt ridden by the minute as he looked down to the floor.

Hotch looked at the younger profiler. Reaching over he patted him on the shoulder. Spencer was startled, not only because he wasn't used to physical contact, but he hadn't been expecting Hotch of all people to use a show of affection.

Reid tore away from the floor and finally saw the small, yet caring smile Aaron had. The once dreaded night had certainly taken a twist.

He began to think about when the BAU leader picked him up. _That isn't even the street you take to get to the grocery store..._ His face turned red. Hotch pretended not to notice. Instead he reached over to the radio and turned it on. When the tune and lyrics started, he almost regretted it.

_And I was like baby, baby, baby, ooooohhh..._

_Damn pop songs._ Cringing, Hotch hurried to find another station. Spencer tried not to laugh, but ended up giggling. The distraught Unit Chief desperately tried to find another song.

_Gaga, ooh lala. Want your bad romance._

Hotch changed the station again.

_6 foot, 7 foot-_

Click.

_California Gurls, we're unforgettable. Daisy dukes, bik-_

Click.

_It's a love story, Baby just say-_

Click.

_Tonight, I'm fu-_

Click.

_Hey, Soul Sister. Ain't that Mr. Mister on the radio, stereo?_

With a heavy sigh, Hotch gave up, but found the current song rather catchy, even though he wasn't really into most of the songs that came out these days. He could tell Spencer liked it too as he was kind of dancing in his seat. Trying to hold back a smirk, Hotch went back to keeping his full attention on the road until he reached his house and pulled into the driveway. Right then and there, the song ended.

By now, the rain stopped. Hotch and Reid both got out of the truck, but before Spencer could offer any help with the groceries, Hotch wordlessly grabbed all of them with one hand.

 _Sure wish I was that strong._ He thought as he followed his boss to the front door. Hotch unlocked the door and stepped inside. Spencer trailed behind.

Since he didn't help Aaron carry the groceries, he should at least help put them away. Hotch sat the bags on the floor then walked over to the younger man. Reid didn't have a chance to speak when Hotch ushered him to the bathroom to shower. Spencer wasn't sure if he should, but a nice hot shower did sound tempting. He took a quick one and stepped out to see his wet and dirty clothes had been replaced by clean ones. He slipped on the flannel pants, tightening the strings so they would fit his slim waist and pulled on the slightly big "F.B.I." shirt.

Spencer went and sat on the couch. He could hear things being tossed around and put in cabinets and on counters in the kitchen. A while passed when his curiosity overtook him. He was about to get up when a hand carrying a plate of freshly made spaghetti and sauce appeared and placed the food in front of him on the coffee table.

Reid looked up at Hotch, who sat down without a word and flipped on the TV.

"Hotch, you didn't have to-"

"Your stomach growls pretty loudly sometimes." Hotch said, not turning his head. Spencer blushed. He leaned forward, picking up the fork and started to eat. The Unit Chief searched through the movie channels, eventually putting on _Jurassic Park_.

Spencer finished his meal rather quickly, but at least his hunger was satisfied. He was going to take his dirty dish and fork to the kitchen and clean them but Hotch beat him to it.

"Hotch! I can, um..." He stopped when he got no sort of response. He really felt guilty now. Although he was more than grateful that he didn't have to stay at his lonely apartment, but Hotch was doing more than he should for him. He did view the BAU leader as a father figure, especially after Gideon left.

The sounds of clinking was now heard from the kitchen. Hotch came back carrying two bowls with spoons.

Spencer could tell that the chocolate and peanut butter ice cream he'd seen earlier was what was in the bowl in front of him. Shrugging, he picked up the bowl and sat back on the couch. Hotch did the same. Before taking a bite, Reid couldn't pass the chance to spew out a fact about ice cream.

"Did you know that a person who spends 30 minutes eating a bowl of ice cream actually consumes less calories than a person who eats it quickly?"

Hotch raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

"Yeah!" Spencer said, getting excited. "Even if they are eating the same amount! It's pretty interesting."

"Sounds interesting." Hotch said, trying to sound otherwise.

"Well, they did a recent study in-"

"Are you saying I'm fat, Reid?" The Unit Chief failed to hide his smirk.

"What? No! Of course not, Hotch! I was just-"

"I'm kidding."

"Oh." Spencer blushed again tonight. Hotch chuckled. They finished their ice cream and Aaron once again took care of the dirty dishes, ignoring Reid's protests.

Hotch went and got into pajamas. A plain gray T-Shirt and sweatpants. He came out of the room with a large comforter. Sitting back down, he settled the thick blanket over himself. Spencer looked over and wondered if he was planning on sharing. Probably not. He wouldn't expect Hotch to, not after all he's done for him, and in one evening!

Reid turned to the TV, watching the Tyrannosaurus try to eat one of the bright colored Ford Explorers. He turned back to Hotch, who surprisingly, was watching the movie too.

"Thank you, Aar- Hotch."

Hotch looked over to Reid, meeting his brown eyes. His big, beautiful and innocent brown eyes.

"Don't mention it, Reid."

Spencer looked sad but nodded. Suddenly, his facial appearance was replaced with one of a big grin and a failed attempt to keep from giggling. "Hey, Hotch?"

Hotch raised an eyebrow, wondering what his agent was finding so funny. A guy on TV just got eaten by a dinosaur, so hopefully that wasn't it.

"Yes, Reid?"

Spencer continued to giggle. "Um, do you..." More giggling. "Do you really wear smiley face boxer shorts?"

Hotch's eyes widened. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Well, after the Brian Jefferson case, Rossi told me and the others that you had a chunk of your pants missing and he saw-"

"He told the others?" Hotch interrupted quickly before mentally slapped himself for what he just did.

Reid's smile continued to stretch. "Yep! He said they were white and the smiley faces were yellow, and that some of them had their tongues sticking out and-"

Hotch's glare made Spencer shut up but it didn't wipe the grin off his face.

"Reid?" Hotch said in a dangerous tone that finally killed his smile altogether.

Spencer started to fiddle with his fingers. What was Hotch gonna do? Was he going make him leave? Make him go back to his apartment all by his lonesome? He was afraid to find out. He didn't want to be alone again and was about to mutter an apology when Hotch suddenly pulled the comforter aside and patted on the cushion next to him.

Spencer stared at it for a moment. He never really cuddled. The most he usually got was a hug from his mother or from someone on the team, or a pat on the shoulder or having his hair ruffled like he was some adorable child.

He slowly made his way over until he was leaning against Hotch's chest. Hotch pulled the comforter back over themselves, then wrapped an arm around Spencer and pulled him closer. But Spencer wasn't sure how to react. Finally taking in the warmth and softness of the thick blanket, he snuggled into Hotch, resting his head on his boss' shoulder and the crook of his neck.

Hotch gently kissed the top of his head, Reid tensed. He hoped dearly that that kiss was just a simple show of affection and nothing more. He allowed himself to relax when Aaron started to stroke his soft curly hair like it was a cat.

"A- Hotch, you do know that you didn't have-" Spencer spoke softly but was interrupted by the BAU leader.

"Reid. I care about you, the whole team cares about you. We don't know what we would do without you. And that's not just because of your brain."

Spencer sighed. "You wouldn't have to worry about a 'kid' all the time? You wouldn't have to be woken up in the middle of the night because I have nightmares? You wouldn't have to... find me on the street crying all because I let a little bit of loneliness get to me?"

"No." Hotch said flatly. "Because we are a family and we look out for each other, especially you." Spencer felt himself blushing for the umpteenth time.

"But, you guys shouldn't-"

"Reid, you are still so young and innocent. You've endured more than most people ever should in a lifetime."

"Is that why you guys always treat me like a child?" Spencer asked. Deep down, he actually enjoyed the youthful treatment. The team gave him experiences he thought he'd never get. He liked when Garcia buried him with presents, when JJ called him 'Spence', when Morgan would occasionally tease him and when someone would ruffle his hair or call him 'kid', despite being in his upper 20's. It's was about time he got looked up to for something other than his intelligence that he at times wished he never had.

Hotch seemed to ponder for a moment. "Well, you would need to ask Garcia that." He smiled. Spencer laughed as he continued to snuggle into the blanket.

"You never have to alone, Reid. All of us on the team are here for you."

"But, I don't want to bother you guys." Spencer admitted dully.

"Reid, you are not a burden to us, you are a blessing." Hotch said gently, resuming stroking the younger man's hair. Spencer was shocked. The only time he ever heard something similar like that was when someone only wanted his brain to help them with something, but when Hotch said it, it was purely caring.

He looked up into the Unit Chief's face. "You really think that?"

Hotch met the gaze as he started to softly rub Spencer's cheek with his fingers.

"I think that." He said gently. "I'm sure Garcia thinks that." He added with a smirk. "We all think that."

Spencer smiled and sniffled. He was amazed how the evening started so bad, then here he was now, at his leader's house, snuggled with him on the couch like a caring father would do with his child.

"Hotch?" Reid asked.

"Yes?"

Hotch glanced over at the younger profiler who was staring at him with a sad smile. It actually made him a little unnerved but he hid it well. When the gap between their faces became smaller and smaller, Hotch started to panic on the inside.

_Oh, God. He's not thinking about... He isn't going to... Oh no!_

Hotch braced himself. The feeling of Reid's head back on his shoulder made him relax instantly. He breathed a sigh a relief, but Spencer heard it and giggled.

"Gotcha." He said with a mischievous grin.

Hotch cursed under his breath. "Don't make me tell Garcia that you were misbehaving, because I will." He matched Reid's facial appearance.

"Since when did you become like Morgan?" Spencer scoffed, obviously not believing the BAU leader.

Hotch smirked but didn't reply. He could feel his agent slowly dozing off.

"Thanks again, Aaro- Hotch." Reid corrected himself again before finally falling asleep.

Hotch looked down at the slumbering young man. He listened to the rhythm of his breathing over the sounds of the fat guy on TV getting attacked by the weird poison-spitting dinosaur. Dilophosaurus, was it?

Hotch leaned closely to the right ear of the man he considered his second son.

"You're welcome, Spencer."


	2. Breakfast with Hotch

The sound of grease sizzling in a hot pan woke Spencer from his peaceful slumber. He breathed in and stretched, then frowned when he realized he was lying on the sofa alone. By the sounds of cooking in the kitchen, he could tell that his dad- er, _Hotch_ was in there making breakfast.

The smell of sausage, hash browns, bacon and eggs made his mouth water. He sat up, got to his feet and shuffled towards the kitchen. He was greeted by the sight of Aaron, still in his pajamas, effortlessly working at the stove.

"Good morning, Sunshine." Hotch smiled and glanced briefly at his agent before turning back to the food. Spencer blushed.

"Good morning, Hotch." He said softly before sitting down at the table. The BAU leader went to his fridge and grabbed out a carton of orange juice. He poured the contents into two cups and sat one in front of Reid, the other by the chair across from him.

"I hope you like your eggs scrambled." Hotch said. Spencer only nodded. He almost never ate breakfast, much less eggs. They smelled tasty though, as did everything else. His stomach growled and his face turned red again.

Hotch gathered a couple of plates and placed two eggs, two pieces of bacon, two sausage links and some hash browns on each of them. He took them in each hand and sat them on the table. Spencer finished taking a sip of his orange juice and picked up his fork. As the two profilers ate their morning meal, an occasional "Mmm" escaped Reid's lips, despite him trying to refrain from doing so. He wasn't sure if he simply hadn't been used to the deliciousness of breakfast or if Hotch was a good cook.

Hotch watched Spencer as he ate his own food. He honestly couldn't care less about what he thought of his cooking, he was just glad to see his youngest content.

They finished their food and juice and Aaron took care of the small mess. The Unit Chief then headed to the living room, Spencer not far behind. Once seated on the couch, Hotch turned on the TV and found a Star Trek marathon, even though he never watched it, nor did he know much about it. He did know that Reid loved it, and to keep him happy was good enough for him.

Hotch leaned back. Staying in pajamas actually felt nice, he should do this more often when the chance came again. He looked over at Spencer, still wearing the flannel pants and "F.B.I." shirt, and could see he was in no hurry for anything. He was too engrossed into the show.

"Hotch?" Reid asked, turning his head to the older man.

"What is it, Spencer?"

"Um," He began to fidget. "C-can we, uh, you know, snuggle again?" He asked nervously.

Hotch wordlessly reached to grab the thick blanket. Spencer moved until he was leaning against him while Hotch settled the comforter over them. The younger man sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, reliving last night as his boss wrapped his arms around him in a hug.

Spencer felt like he could go to sleep already. He was comfy, and he felt safe in Aaron's embrace. He couldn't think of ever doing this with William, which didn't surprise him in the slightest. He rested his head in the crook of Hotch's neck, like he had done last night.

The Unit Chief leaned his head until it nuzzled against the top of his younger agent's. Thanks to his profiling skills, he could partly tell what he was thinking. Spencer's lack of childhood and a father's love is why the team always had the urge to protect him, and spoil him when the chance came around. Aaron had to admit, Reid's youthful innocence is pretty hard to resist, or maybe perhaps he's just been around Garcia too much.

He looked down at Spencer, who was completely at peace. _Definitely the first one._

Hotch smiled and closed his own eyes briefly. The 'father and son' continued watching the T. Or, rather, the father was getting more out of watching his 'son' live life like he should have years ago.

Hotch couldn't help but wonder, did sadistic unsubs always go after Reid because he appeared the most vulnerable out the rest of the team? How could that be though? They were just as much at risk of being held hostage or even getting kidnapped as Reid was. Maybe not quite as much, but it could still happen to any of them, like Morgan or Rossi or even Hotch himself.

Now that he thought about it, he had been held hostage, along with Reid and various other people during the Phillip Dowd case. He and Reid had even been tied up with plastic handcuffs, but Hotch was able to devise a plan. He hoped he hadn't kicked too hard, but Spencer assured him otherwise. ' _9 year old girl', sure._

Or maybe unsubs were attracted to him because he was young and so damn cute.

Hotch relaxed as he continued to hold his second son. His cell phone rang, startling them both. Hotch reluctantly grabbed it, then almost didn't want to answer when he saw who it was.

"Hotchner." He answered. Spencer looked up, wondering who had called and what was going on. He could almost see the slight hint of disappointment in his boss' face before he heard "Yeah, we'll be there."

Reid could tell right then and there, even before Hotch had spoke. _Looks like the BAU's vacation is getting cut short this time..._

"What's wrong?" He asked anyway. Aaron exhaled.

"We've got a case, maybe two. Teenager abductions and two murdered women, both in San Diego." He replied grimly.

Spencer nodded and knew better than to argue. The lives of innocent people, especially young ones, were more important than vacation time. Hotch closed his phone and got to his feet. Spencer did the same as the BAU leader went to his bedroom. It was then that the young doctor realized he didn't have any work clothes here, or his badge and gun.

"Hey, Hotch? I don't have any-"

"We'll stop by your apartment on the way and you can get your stuff there." He heard the Unit Chief call from his room. Reid waited patiently until Hotch came out in his usual dress shirt, tie and suit. Hotch grabbed his keys, then his phone and began to call Jessica to inform her that Jack will be staying with her for longer than expected.

The short call ended once the two agents got inside Hotch's pickup truck. He backed out of the driveway and was tempted to turn on the radio but was also afraid of what might come on. Instead, the ride to Reid's apartment was silent. They eventually arrived and Spencer changed and got what he needed before they left and headed to the FBI Headquarters.

"Hey, Reid?"

"Yes, Hotch?"

"Maybe while we're in California, you can check up on your girlfriend again." Hotch smirked.

Spencer laughed. "Hotch, I got over Lila a long time ago!"

"Sure you did." Hotch said sarcastically, the rare smirk still on his face. The younger man tried to glare at the BAU leader, but his laughter gave away to his pout. Reid sighed once he calmed down, though Hotch's grin had barely faded as they approached the tall building they worked at.

"One thing's for sure, Hotch." Reid started.

"And what's that?" Aaron asked, turning to the younger profiler for a second. He could see the sweet smile on his agent's face and the sparkle in his brown eyes.

"I know what I'm going to do next vacation." Spencer said softly. "After visiting my mother, of course."

Hotch nodded but didn't answer. He kept to his thoughts as he pulled into the crowded FBI parking lot, half tempted just to park in the garage again.

_I look forward to it._


	3. Child's Play

"Are you sure it wasn't under the couch?"

"Yeah, I already looked."

Spencer sighed, running his right hand through his hair. He agreed to play 'cops and robbers' with Jack, who insisted that handcuffs be involved. He had retrieved his father's pair, only find out that he didn't have the key.

One loop was locked around Reid's left wrist, the other was around Jack's right. Neither of them knew where the key was and they were both afraid of asking Hotch and receiving a lecture of some kind. They continued their search around the house with no luck. Spencer was upset, but not at Jack. Mostly because he and Hotch's son were stuck together and they couldn't find what they needed to get free.

Jack looked inside a flower pot while Reid looked through a small shelf, nothing turned up yet. Thankfully, Hotch was in his upstairs office sorting paperwork from their recent case in California, so he was unaware of what was happening.

"We might have to tell you dad, Jack." Spencer said as he sat a book back. "We just can't find that key."

"But, he will get mad!" Jack exclaimed.

"I know, but we can't stay like this forever." He chuckled. "Besides, he might not get mad."

"Okay." Jack said quietly. The two boys were about to head up the stairs when they heard another voice speak just as they laid eyes on a rather amused looking Hotch.

"What might I not get mad about?" He asked casually, a hint of a grin on his face.

"We lost the key." Jack said, holding up his cuffed right wrist, lifting Spencer's a little in the process. Hotch nodded, his smile becoming more visible.

"You mean _this_ key?" The BAU leader reached behind him and pulled out a small silver object.

"Uh-huh! That's the one!" Jack said excitedly.

"We were about to go up ask you where it was." Spencer blushed, Aaron laughed slightly.

"Looks like Jack forgot to grab it." Hotch said, walking towards the two boys. He inserted the key into the hole and unlocked one of the loops, freeing Jack.

"Thanks daddy." Jack gave his father a one arm hug.

"You're welcome, buddy." Hotch returned the gesture, failing to hold back more laughter. Spencer smiled at the sight while waiting patiently.

"Okay, Hotch. My turn." He said, holding up his left wrist expectantly.

"All right." Hotch proceeded to unlock the other loop but then stopped. He turned to face the younger boy. "Hey, Jack?"

"Yes, daddy? Are you mad?" Jack rubbed a finger on his chin.

"No, no. I want to show you something." Hotch assured. Jack immediately perked up and stepped closer.

"What is it?" The small child asked, already excited even though he doesn't yet know what his father is about to demonstrate.

"See this?" The Unit Chief pointed to his agent's still trapped wrist. "When we go to arrest a suspect, we don't just put only half of the restraints on them. At least, not anymore." Jack nodded, waiting for him to continue.

"Hotch, what are you doing?" Reid asked.

"Not that way?" Jack asked. Aaron shook his head.

"No. If we did, the suspect, or bad guy could grab my gun or something that he could hurt me with, or he could grab the key and get away." The BAU leader explained.

"Ohh." Jack said understandingly. "So, both their wrists?"

"That's right." Hotch said with a small smile. "But we usually don't do in front of them."

"Hotch, just give me the key and I'll unlock it myself." Spencer tried not to sound impatient. He was ignored.

"How do you cuff the bad guy then?" Jack asked.

"Hotch?" Reid asked fearfully when he saw the evil look on his boss' face.

"Well, Jack, we do it... like this!"

"Hotch? What are you- Wait! No, no, don't!"

_Click._

The Unit Chief zipped behind his agent and nabbed both his arms and pulled them behind him. Reid didn't have a chance to react when he felt cold metal wrap around his other wrist and heard the sound of the restraints lock in place.

" _That_ is how we cuff the bad guys. _"_ Aaron pointed towards a very shocked Spencer. Jack was now rolling on the floor, laughing.

"Dr. Reid looks like a bad guy!" The small boy squealed. Spencer's face couldn't get any redder. He turned his back away so his bound wrists were out of sight. He finally managed to find his voice, but when he spoke, nothing but a pleading squeak came out.

"Hotch, please get these off of me."

Aaron had joined his son, increasing Reid's embarrassment. He almost felt like he could die from it. As bad as it was though, it was nothing compared to that April 1st at work.

He never saw that coming.

He wasn't even aware of the so called holiday when Morgan had jumped him, handcuffed him, behind his back of all positions, and showed him off to nearly everyone on the floor, even took a picture of him. He was more than grateful that Garcia eventually ended Derek's "fun", she even helped him get back at Morgan when the next year came around. She pointed out that Reid always arrived at 7:00 AM sharp, something Reid himself never noticed. He did as Garcia told him that morning. He waited at the doors, knowing Morgan was hiding out of sight to jump him again, Reid stood there until Rossi arrived, greeted him and watched as the older man entered the bullpen. Before Derek Morgan knew it, he had pounced on the Senior SSA and was about to handcuff him. Reid laughed his heart out at the unforgettably deadly look Dave sent Morgan. He made sure to send an extremely embarrassed Derek an email that read "Gotcha."

Yeah, that was funny, but this current situation? Not so much.

This wasn't Morgan he was dealing with this time, it was the leader of the Behavioral Analysis Unit and his son. The two finally calmed down, Spencer cleared his throat as he shifted uncomfortably in his restraints.

"Will you take these off now?" He asked hopefully.

"All right, Jack, I think Dr. Reid has had enough." Hotch said as he pulled out the key.

"Wait!" Jack cried. "He has to go jail first!"

"Jail?" Reid asked, fear returning to his voice.

"Yeah! Now get moving!" The young boy said in a demanding tone. He pushed the skinny man, causing him to stumble first before regaining his balance. Hotch laughed once more as he followed them. Jack herded Spencer up the stairs and into the bathroom. He made him step inside the stand-in shower and shut the glass, pretending it was a jail cell.

"You are sentenced to... 1 minute!" Jack said finally. Spencer sighed as he shifted around again, giving an occasional weak struggle against the secured handcuffs. Hotch was still laughing when he caught up and stood by his son.

"Nice job, agent." He patted Jack on the shoulder. The small boy looked up and smiled brightly.

"Thanks boss!"

"But profilers don't take the bad guys to jail, we hand them off to other people." Aaron explained.

"Okay." Jack said. 60 seconds soon passed and he let Spencer out of the shower, Hotch freed his agent's wrists and ruffled his hair.

"You did good, Reid." He said proudly. The young genius lightened up, a faint smile forming.

"That was, ah, an interesting experience." He chuckled weakly.

Aaron looked at his watch. "Who's hungry for some lunch?" He asked.

"Macaroni and cheese!" Jack chirped. Hotch laughed.

"Okay, go wash up." Jack obeyed and went to the sink. The BAU leader made his way out the door and into the hallway. He turned around to look at the younger profiler, who had yet to move from his spot. Jack finished washing and bounded past his father and down the stairs.

"Are you coming, bad guy?" Hotch smirked before walking away, not waiting for a response.

Spencer's growing smile suddenly changed into a childish pout.


	4. Dessert in a Cup

Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed. Wind howled and rain fell so hard, one would practically need a diving suit to go outside. What a way to spend a Friday night.

Hotch heard another booming sound as he sorted through paperwork. He wondered how on Earth Jack slept through the storm. His son didn't have much fear of thunder and lightning unlike most kids. Or, as Hotch thought; _Because he takes after me._

He smiled as he recalled Jack on Halloween, dressing up in a suit like him because he is 'a real hero'. A father couldn't be any happier with their child. It was then Aaron frowned. Something was amiss. Jack was safe and sound on the couch next to him and Hotch himself was doing his favorite hobby, paperwork. Another flash of lightning and the BAU leader realized what felt wrong.

Spencer, his 'other son' wasn't here, he was at home by himself in this storm. He knew all too well he had fears of weather like this, and being alone probably wasn't doing him any favors.

Hotch had offered just to drive him after they got off work, but Reid insisted on walking. He had said he was going to write a letter to his mother and then come over. That was before the storm started. He gazed at his watch, 10:37 PM.

The Unit Chief swallowed at the thought of the youngest of his team, heading to his house on foot in this storm. He sighed, wishing he had been more persistent about the ride. Memories of a week ago ran through his mind, when he had been fortunate enough to see him before he drove by and missed him.

He couldn't just go out and see if he was on his way over, he didn't want to wake Jack and he wouldn't leave him alone either, even if he was sleeping. He could try Spencer's cell phone. Before he had a chance to reach for his phone, the door opened as another flash of lightning struck and lit up the night sky.

Reid entered the house, clad in a yellow raincoat and carrying an upturned umbrella. Hotch breathed a sigh of relief. Spencer gave a nervous smile and fixed his umbrella before slipping off his coat and settling it on the coat hanger.

"You had me worried, son." Hotch said before returning to his paperwork.

"I lost my umbrella a couple times to the wind." The younger man blushed as he wiped his shoes and slipped them off onto the rug.

"Well, come in and warm up." Aaron smiled, turning briefly to face the still blushing genius.

Spencer nodded and closed the door, he carefully sat down on the couch. Hotch put down his paperwork and folded it into a neat pile on the coffee table, then grabbed the remote control and turned on the TV. He noticed the younger man shivered and jumped slightly after thunder rumbled once again. Jack only stirred, but remained asleep.

The BAU leader was having trouble finding anything good on the TV. Star Trek wasn't on for Reid, and Law & Order wasn't on for him. The movie channels seemed to be lacking of anything interesting. Hotch didn't have much for DVDs either. As the older man went for another go-round through the TV guide, a show titled "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior" caught his eye. He turned it on and sat the remote down. He eventually turned the TV back off.

Hotch frowned when he saw Spencer was still shivering. He got up from the sofa, grabbing his paperwork and went upstairs. He put the paperwork in his office then headed to his bedroom and changed into pajamas. He gathered a pair of sweatpants and another one of his "F.B.I." shirts along with his thick blue comforter and made his way back downstairs.

Jack finally awoke after Hotch handed the still shaking young profiler the clothes and sat back down. Spencer said a quiet "Thanks" and went into the bathroom. Once the door closed, Hotch turned to a dozy Jack.

"Sleep well, buddy?"

"Yeah, daddy." The small boy rubbed his eyes. He scanned around as if having developed a sixth sense. "Is Spencer here?"

"Yes, he is." Hotch gave a hint of a smile.

"Where is he?" Jack asked, excited.

"He's in the bathroom getting into pajamas."

Jack grinned, then frowned as he looked out the window. The pouring rain, the howling wind and flashes of lightning.

"He must be wet and cold." Jack said sadly. Aaron nodded a little.

"He is, but I know what will make him feel better."

"Really? What?" The young child brightened up.

"You shall see. Come on." The Unit Chief gestured for his son to follow him to the kitchen. Hotch put water in the coffee maker and started it up while Jack retrieved the container of Nestle Rich Chocolate flavored cocoa from the cabinet. Aaron grabbed three coffee mugs and poured the now hot water in them. He scooped the hot chocolate powder from the container and into the three cups and stirred them. Jack made sure his father put enough in each mug so the flavor would indeed be 'rich'.

Hotch and his son went to the fridge. The older man grabbed the container of whipped cream while Jack reached for the bottle of Hershey's chocolate syrup. The BAU leader took a spoon and put a scoop in the three coffee cups. He took the chocolate syrup from Jack and dazzled each mound of whipped cream with a few swirls of the sugary goodness. He gave the bottle back to his youngest son and had him return it to the fridge. Hotch opened a cupboard and found a small container of rainbow sprinkles.

He decorated each of the three piles of whipped cream and chocolate syrup, giving them a very irresistible appearance. It looked like something off of a cooking magazine.

Jack smacked his lips at the sight of the deliciousness. Hotch handed a cup to him and carried the other two. They went back to the living room and sat their 'dessert in a cup' on the coffee table. As if on cue, the bathroom door opened and Spencer came out wearing the clothes Hotch had given him. He was still shivering and he looked frightened as thunder broke the very brief silence.

Reid swallowed and hurried over to the couch. He sat to Hotch's left while Jack was sitting on the other side. He noticed the three coffee mugs on the table, filled with hot cocoa he assumed. It was hard to tell as it was topped with whipped cream, chocolate syrup, and colorful sprinkles.

Hotch handed two cups to Spencer and Jack, then grabbed his own. Another crash of lightning caused Reid to draw closer to Aaron, Jack did the same, even though he wasn't really afraid of the storm. The Unit Chief noticed the skinny man to his left was shivering still. He used his free hand to pull up the thick comforter and settle it over himself and his two boys.

Another rumble of thunder, the loudest they'd heard tonight, emitted from above, causing both Spencer and Jack to snuggle even closer to Hotch until they reached their limits. The two young men relaxed once they had the safety of the cozy blanket wrapped around them and they were leaning against Aaron.

The BAU leader smiled as he took another sip of his drink. He allowed himself to let out of a sigh of content. Jack and Spencer both took small, savoring gulps of their hot cocoa.

"Thanks, daddy." Jack spoke after taking another swig.

"Thank you, Hotch." Spencer said softly.

"You're welcome, boys." Aaron smiled.

As the storm rampaged outside, a man and his two sons snuggled on the couch, enjoying cups of hot chocolate with whipped cream, chocolate syrup and rainbow sprinkles.

Today has been a good day for Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner. He couldn't wait till another one came around as they all finished their drinks and their eyes slowly drooped shut.


	5. Chicken Soup, NyQuil, Toast

He gulped down another sip of cold water to try and give his aching throat some relief. It only lasted a couple seconds. He sniffled, trying to keep the nasal mucus from dripping out of his nose as he grabbed another tissue and soiled it before tossing it in the nearby trash pail. He groaned as he took another swig of water to help with his fever. He coughed twice, getting a nasty taste of chest congestion.

The common cold is no fun. At all.

Jack frowned as he leaned against the stair railing. Seeing Spencer so miserable was hard. He wished there was something he could do, but he also made sure to stay away far enough to avoid any 'germs'.

Hotch was in the process of making some chicken soup. He recalled the younger agent telling his some fact about common colds and that particular type of soup that he only remembered half of. Today, he really wished Reid would have just accepted his offer for a ride to his apartment. Although he had been told already "people catch colds from viruses, not from the weather."

Reid laid a hand on his sizzling forehead. He tried to rally up facts and statistics that would give himself some reassurance.

_Common colds last from 7 to 14 days, slow recovery can make it last 21._

_Cold water can help ease a fever._

_Symptoms appear one to three days after exposure._

He inhaled and sneezed, spreading particles of mucus. He closed his eyes briefly, tempted to take a nap, but Aaron told him he needed to eat. He turned away from the TV, his fever made his eyes more sensitive to light, he couldn't breath through his nose whatsoever, and his throat made itself known once more as he took a hard swallow.

He shivered, pulling his blanket up closer. Hotch appeared eventually with a bowl of steaming broth with chicken and vegetables. Spencer turned around and sat upright, holding the blanket around his shaking frame.

"Would you like any crackers?" The BAU leader asked.

Reid nodded. "Could you also turn off the TV?" He asked hoarsely. Aaron frowned concernedly at the request but silently obeyed. He went to the kitchen to fetch the ailing young man some saltines. He retrieved a package out of a box and sat them on the coffee table.

Spencer winced a little when he realized he had mild body aches. They were bearable, but startling. He hoped Hotch hadn't noticed. Jack saw that his cup of water was almost empty and he now had a chance to do something for his friend. He bounded down the stairs and towards Reid.

"Do you want a water refill?" He asked. Spencer smiled a little and sniffled.

"Yes, please, Jack." He said softly. The boy happily grabbed his cup and brought it to the kitchen. Hotch chuckled lightly. Jack went to the fridge and grabbed out a pitcher and filled Spencer's cup, he returned and handed it back to the young profiler, and received a quiet "Thank you".

The child gazed at the couch for a moment. "Do you want anymore blankets?" He asked.

"I'm fine, Jack. Thank you." Reid mumbled. More nasal mucus dripped out of his nostrils and onto the edge of his nose, tickling it and causing him to sneeze. Jack was quick to hand him a tissue. Spencer accepted it and groaned as he blew his nose and disposed of it.

Hotch went upstairs briefly and came back with some paperwork. He sat down on a nearby chair and sorted through the stack in his arms. Jack grabbed a large plastic bag filled with dinosaur figures the BAU team had gotten him some time ago. He pulled out two of the toys and played with the stegosaurus' flexible tail, hitting it into the T-Rex figure.

Both the Unit Chief and his agent felt the sides of their lips turn upward as they watched the young boy play. Spencer worked on his soup until the bowl was empty, he was asked if he wanted anymore, he declined. Aaron took care of the dirty dish and spoon, then put the rest of the soup in a container in the fridge. He returned to his paperwork for some time, then eventually saw that it was getting late, both Spencer and Jack looked beyond tired.

"Would you like anything to help you sleep?" The Unit Chief asked, he wasn't too surprised by the response he got.

"No, thank you."

Hotch was skeptical, but he silently nodded while he gathered a sleepy Jack in his arms and carried him upstairs to his room. His eyes met his son's as he gently sat him in bed.

"When will Spencer get better?" Jack asked.

"He'll be better in a few days." Aaron smiled a little. The boy nodded and yawned as he was tucked into bed

"I hope so." That was the last thing Jack said before his eyes closed and remained shut.

"I hope so too." Hotch said quietly. He tiptoed out of the bedroom and carefully close the door. He went downstairs as Reid sipped more water, holding a hand on his forehead. He laid down on the couch and Aaron pulled his blankets up closer, tucking him in.

"Let me know if you do want something." He said, his tone a little stern, but caring nonetheless.

"Okay." Spencer whispered nasally. Hotch honestly wasn't expecting him to, but he figured he should at least let him know that it's okay, just in case. He went and emptied the overflowing garbage pail and came back, then went to the kitchen to refill the young man's water cup. After returning from that, he sat the cup down and pushed the box of tissues closer just in time for Reid to reach over and grab one as snot threatened to drip out of his nose. He soiled the tissue and dropped it in the pail, Hotch stroked his hair a couple times, feeling his hot forehead once.

"Feel better, son." The BAU leader said inaudibly. The young doctor groaned and closed his eyes, hoping to get some sleep. Hotch turned off the lights and grabbed his paperwork before making his way up the stairs to his office, then to his room. He slipped out of his dress shirt, tie and other day clothes and into his pajamas. After turning off the light, he got into bed.

Waking up in the middle of the night with the need to use the bathroom was rather unfamiliar to Hotch, because he almost never woke up for that reason. After finishing his business and washing his hands, he felt the urge to check on Spencer. He quietly went downstairs and saw that the young agent was sleeping. Having reassured himself, Aaron returned to his bedroom and went back to sleep. Before shutting his eyes, he glanced at the clock and saw it was only 12:08 AM.

A little more than an hour later, he was awoken again, this time, by a soft voice calling his name.

"Do you need something, Spencer?"

The young man at his bedroom doorway emitted a nervous whimper, then sniffled as he played with the tissue in his fingers.

"Well, I woke up, but I can't fall back asleep." He said shamefully, bowing his head slightly. He blew his nose into tissue he had. Aaron got out of bed, moving past Reid and towards the bathroom.

"I'll give you something that will help." He said as he opened the medicine cabinet. He didn't notice that the younger man's eyes widened with fear.

"Um, t-that's ok-okay, I'll, um, just go-o back t-t..." Spencer stuttered, then trailed off, blushing.

"Reid." Hotch started while he pulled out a bottle of NyQuil. "It's not, you know, narcotics. You'll be fine, and it will help you sleep."

Spencer turned even more red as he nodded. Hotch filled the plastic cup with the proper dosage and handed it to the young genius, who swallowed down the thick, potent liquid and handed the cup back. The Unit Chief rinsed out the cup and put it back on the bottle, then sat it back in the cabinet.

"Thanks, Aaron." Reid mumbled before blowing his nose once more in the already dirty tissue and tossed it in the bathroom's garbage can. Aaron walked with his 'other son' downstairs and tucked him in again.

Once his agent was settled, Hotch couldn't help but stare at his pure youthful innocence. It made him happy that he's been able to tend and care for him when he's alone. Although, he knew Morgan or Garcia wouldn't hesitate to watch over their young friend if the chance came around.

Just as he sat one foot on the steps, he heard Reid whimpering softly, even though he was clearly asleep, thanks to the NyQuil. He continued up, he could still hear Spencer all the way in his bedroom. He grabbed his favorite thick blue comforter and headed back down. Right when he stepped back into the living room, Spencer's whimpering had vanished completely. Hotch was unable to hold back a smile that begun to form on his face as he sat on the nearby recliner and pulled his blanket over himself. He put the footrest up and laid back, sleep eventually came.

The next day went by with a similar routine. By the morning of day three of Spencer's cold, his throat went from sore to scratchy, indicating that said symptom was coming to an end, meaning that his ailment was progressing. His fever was gone, though his runny, stuffy nose and coughing was still present, but he should only have about four or five more days of this misery.

As bad as it is, it hasn't been too miserable, thanks to the love and support he gets from a man and his son who aren't technically his family, or blood related even. Well, they basically are family, as is the whole BAU.

Spencer looked at his watch, 7:59 AM. He was surprised to see that Hotch was still asleep. The older man was somewhat sprawled in the chair, it was a sight that made him grateful for his eidetic memory. Seeing that Aaron wasn't awake, he might as well lay back down and at least relax some more. He grabbed another tissue and dirtied it before throwing it away and snuggling into his blanket.

He wasn't aware of a small boy sneaking down the stairs and into the kitchen. Jack wasn't too moved by the fact that he ended up sleeping alone upstairs, he was glad that his father slept in the living room with Spencer so he could take care of him better.

The child stealthily walked across the tile floor and went to a low cabinet and pulled out a loaf of bread. He grabbed three slices and prepared to put them in the toaster before getting the container of butter from the fridge and retrieving a butter knife from the drawer.

Spencer opened his eyes as Hotch woke up in time to hear something in the toaster pop up.


	6. Good Weekend

Sunlight shined through the windows of the quiet house, the young man on the couch shut his eyes tight to protect them from the unwelcome brightness. He yawned and stretched, then took the first deep breath in a week through his finally clear nostrils. He slowly opened his eyes to adjust to the morning light and looked around the peaceful home. He appeared to be the only one awake, and he debated on what to do. Watch TV maybe, but he didn't want to disturb the other two residents of the house. Make coffee, perhaps? He didn't want to get into his dad's- er, _Hotch's_ stuff. A quick shower sounded nice though, but he'd still be making noise doing that.

How about a walk? He shuddered a little after recalling what happened last time he went for a walk, but now it was dawn, and today's forecast was "sunny". Besides, he had read that it's healthy to go for a walk, jog or run in the early morning. He finally settled on that and retrieved his own "F.B.I." T-Shirt and sweatpants he had worn here the first time, that had long since been washed and cleaned. He slipped on an orange sock and a black and gray striped one and then his dark blue Converse shoes before exiting the house and breathing in the cool and crisp air. Heading down the sidewalk, he smiled as he looked around the silent neighborhood.

Back at the house, Hotch stirred as sleep eventually departed. He sat up and rubbed his face, then looked out the window. Giving his clock a brief glance, 7:31 AM, he got out of bed, tiptoed across the hall and carefully opened his son's bedroom door and peeked inside. Jack laid on his bed, safe and soundly asleep. Aaron closed the door gently and made his way downstairs to check on Spencer before making coffee. The Unit Chief was startled to find the couch, pillow and blankets completely vacant.

Going into "profiler mode", Hotch scanned around his living room. No signs of struggle or break-in, Reid's clothing and shoes were gone, making Aaron wonder if the younger man had just gone outside, but his cell phone, gun and credentials were still present, causing the BAU leader to tense again.

If someone had taken Reid, surely they wouldn't have wasted time to dress him, but if that was the case, then how the hell did they get into the house?

* * *

He couldn't believe it, he let it happen again. He made a mental note not to get distracted, but that's what ended up happening anyway. He didn't bring his cell phone this time, but at least he knew where he was, but it was still rather far from Hotch's place. He could even see the FBI Headquarters above the trees. How he managed to walk this far, he'll never know. He worked his eidetic memory, desperate to figure out how he ended up here, but he only came up with bits and pieces. He remembered leaving Hotch's street, eventually passing Morgan's house and his own apartment complex, then the street that lead to JJ and Will's. He went blank after Rossi's place until he found himself near the FBI building.

He sighed, knowing that Hotch may be worried about him, and he had no way to contact him. Hanging his head in embarrassment, he started to backtrack.

Hotch knew he shouldn't be jumping to conclusions, but knowing how vulnerable the youngest of his team can be, he didn't want to take any chances. He was tempted to call somebody, but today was Saturday, and they had a right not to be disturbed, unless a case came up. This wasn't a case, but it was on the urgent side, Hotch picked up his phone, wondering who to call and at the same time, was a little reluctant to call anybody at all.

He barely started on Derek's number before the front door opened, revealing a blushing Spencer as he stepped inside. Aaron breathed a sigh of relief as the young agent waved nervously before taking off his shoes.

"Sorry, Hotch. I know you were probably worried, but I just went for walk." Spencer started to babble.

"That's okay, Reid." Hotch assured. "But what took you so long?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Uh," Reid's cheeks got redder and redder. "I walked too far?"

"I see." Aaron couldn't help but chuckle, causing the young genius' face to no longer look white and pale. Hotch walked over and wrapped an arm around Spencer in a half hug. Reid smiled and accepted the gesture, he sighed with content before the older man spoke again.

"Would you like some coffee?"

"Yes, please."

The "father and son" walked to the kitchen where Hotch finally could start on making coffee, now that he knew Spencer was safe and not in the clutches of some horrible unsub. After filling the coffee maker with grounds and water, he turned to the taller man.

"What sounds good for breakfast?" Aaron asked.

"Chocolate chip waffles!"

Spencer nearly jumped out of his skin, while Hotch didn't even do so much as flinch when a whole new voice rang through the kitchen. The BAU leader left Reid to collect himself before walking over to Jack, who had a huge grin plastered on his face. The father knelt down until his face was level with the boy's.

"That actually sounds good, but we should ask our guest if that's okay." Hotch knew Reid would say "yes", even if that wasn't what he wanted to eat. Jack ran around him and over to where the other man was standing.

"Is it okay, Spencer?" The child asked, looking up at the young profiler.

"Yes, Jack." Spencer smiled. "It does sound good actually."

"Yay!" Jack cheered before running to the low cabinet and pulling out a box of pancake and waffle mix and handing it to his father. Hotch accepted the box before retrieving a bag of chocolate chips from a higher shelf.

"Why don't you two go watch TV while I make breakfast?" The Unit Chief suggested. Jack ran up to Spencer, putting the young man's hand in his own, urging him to come as he half dragged him to the living room. Aaron watched them disappear before getting to work.

After their morning meal, Jack asked Reid to play chess with him. During their game, Hotch could tell Spencer was trying to go easy on the boy, but was having trouble doing so. It wasn't until Jack managed to capture Spencer's queen, then trap his king with a rook and a bishop. His other pieces were also preventing any escape for his cornered king. Spencer gawked at the board, he didn't think he was going _that_ easy on Jack.

"So, what are we doing today?" Spencer asked as he and Jack sat up the board again.

"I was actually thinking of inviting the team over for a barbeque." Hotch said thoughtfully.

"Sounds good." Reid said softly. Jack smiled, excited to see the people who catch the bad guys with his daddy. His grin faded soon after he heard Spencer call checkmate. Hotch watched fondly as his two boys played. It warmed his heart dearly.

Once Hotch confirmed that all invitations had been accepted, he, Jack and Spencer began preparing for the evening. They sat up the picnic table and grill, Hotch made sure he had plenty of hot dogs and hamburgers, while Spencer and Jack worked on a macaroni salad from scratch. Aaron retrieved the plastic ware, cups and plates he rarely used and sat them up on the table.

Despite his efforts, the BAU leader couldn't help but laugh as he tried to break up a "macaroni fight" that suddenly erupted between the two young men, only to become the sole target. Hotch, as well as his kitchen floor, were now covered in elbow-shaped pasta, which was hastily cleaned up.

When the evening came, Morgan was the first to arrive. After parking his car, he went up to the door and knocked. Jack eagerly opened the door for the dark-skinned agent. Chuckling, Derek greeted the excited child and patted him on the head.

"Hey, Pretty Boy." Morgan said after laying eyes on the young doctor.

"Hi." Reid greeted back.

"You sleep here last night?"

Spencer froze after Derek's question. His bedding was still on the couch, and nobody on the team knew he had been staying at Hotch's for the past few weeks. He most certainly didn't want any of them getting the wrong ideas.

"Um, I..." He trailed off, Morgan raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, he did." Hotch's voice was suddenly heard as he stepped into the room, causing both men to jump.

"Uh-huh!" Jack said enthusiastically. "He was sick, so me and daddy let him stay here."

"Sick?" Derek asked, slightly alarmed.

"It was just a cold." Reid mumbled sheepishly.

"Oh, okay." Morgan said with understanding. He half wondered why Reid hadn't gone to him if he was sick and in need of company, but Hotch is the one with his power of attorney after all, not him. He then remembered the kid saying that he was keeping Gideon as the second, even after he had walked out on all of them. That was a few years ago, and he figured by now, Spencer probably removed him.

A knock on the door drew Morgan out of his thoughts as Jack bounded towards it and opened it, revealing JJ, Will, and Henry, who was still a little young for 'big boy' things. Jack was excited to see them nonetheless, though he couldn't recall seeing Will too many times before. Prentiss and Garcia arrived a short time later. Hotch wasn't sure who was happier to see who, Jack or Penelope. It was worth an inaudible chuckle anyway. As time passed, Aaron was about ready to let everyone start eating until Rossi finally arrived. The Senior SSA entered the house and greeted everybody.

"You're late, Dave." Hotch smirked.

"I'd like to call it 'fashionably late'." The veteran profiler smirked back.

The team sat down at the picnic table and had their dinner while talking amongst each other, then Garcia announced that she brought "s'more ingredients", which made Jack all too happy. Hotch had to remind the technical analyst to go easy on the sugar for the boy, he wanted to be sure his son, and himself would sleep tonight.

Reid groaned as he messed up his third s'more. He finally managed not to completely fry it, but the gooey marshmallow slipped away from the chocolate and graham crackers and into his messy fingers. He did his trademark blush, which continued to grow red when the others laughed and made jokes.

Jack, feeling bad for his friend, managed to do the same to his s'more, getting it on his arms and shirt. He felt that he did a good job though, because none of the profilers noticed he had done it on purpose, and they had all stopped picking on Spencer.

"I think somebody needs a bath." Hotch said in a rare, teasingly tone. Jack emitted a whine, keeping up his efforts to draw attention away from Spencer.

"I'll bathe him." Reid offered, surprising everyone.

"Yay!" Jack cheered. JJ and Will stated they would be heading home, as Henry was already dozing off. They said their goodbyes and left. Jack and Spencer raced to the bathroom while Hotch resumed conversations with the remainder of the team. Upstairs, the two boys laughed all the way to the bathroom with the tub. Reid started the water, ensuring the temperature was comfortable, and poured in a ridiculous amount of bubble bath.

Hotch could hear squeals of laughter, and rather loud splashes along with the sound of water hitting onto the tile floor. When it had yet to cease, he finally went upstairs, leaving a grinning Morgan and Garcia with a skeptical Rossi and Prentiss.

When the Unit Chief returned, he looked less than amused, but everyone could see the barely hidden smile on his face. Spencer trailed slowly behind, soaking wet, his lower pant legs and shoes covered with suds, and a towel clad Jack in his arms, who was giggling uncontrollably.

"Reid, I thought you were giving Jack a bath, not taking one with him!" Derek laughed.

"I put in too much bubble bath." The embarrassed young man mumbled sheepishly. Everyone chuckled when his cheeks turned red for the countless time today.

"I splashed water at him too!" Jack giggled.

Spencer was glad he hadn't been questioned further by Morgan about staying at Hotch's place. He didn't know how he would have explained that night a few weeks ago when he ended up getting lost in a storm. One by one, the rest of the team eventually departed, causing Reid to unknowingly breath a sigh of relief.

After Jack had gotten in pajamas and Spencer got dry clothes, Hotch sat on the couch with them. He had sensed Reid's tension earlier, and decided now was a good time to ask him about it. He understood how the younger agent would be nervous when it came to the others knowing about him staying here, instead of by himself at his apartment. But to think that they would see him as a weakling for it, after all the team has been through before together had Aaron questioned. Sure, they saw Spencer as the "kid" of the team, but they are a team, no matter their ages. The BAU leader also knew they would all do everything they could to make Reid's life better. Although facing dangerous unsubs didn't do any favors, but Morgan was like a big brother, Rossi was the uncle, Garcia was the spoiling aunt, JJ and Prentiss were the sisters, and Seaver? Well he didn't know what to think about her and he didn't care to either.

Himself? It was obvious that he was the father of the team, and he knew Reid saw him as a second to William, though he wouldn't be surprised if Reid actually saw him as the first. William walking out on him and his sick mother was damaging enough, but for Gideon to do the same thing only a few months after the Hankel case was hard to accept. Jason didn't just walk out on Spencer, he walked out on all of them. He remembered JJ telling their youngest that; to assure him that he wasn't alone on the matter.

Spencer shifted a little, leaning against his dad, er, _Hotch._ Jack closed his eyes, not feeling like getting up to his own bed. Aaron settled on letting any more matters for the day drop. He yawned before gazing down at his two boys, who both appeared to be asleep. He smiled and allowed his own eyes to close.

When Hotch's eyes opened, he was alone on the couch, however, the two former occupants were standing on the other side of the coffee table, which had multiple plates consisting of eggs, bacon, sausages, hash browns, pancakes, waffles and toast. There was a glass of orange juice and a glass of milk. The Unit Chief wondered how Jack and Spencer thought he was going to eat all of this food, and most of all, he wondered what the occasion was.

"Happy Father's Day!" The two young men said in unison.

Hotch smiled, he had completely forgotten.


	7. Bully, Bullied

"Cut it out!"

"Make me, runt!"

Jack got back to his feet and glared daggers at the larger, oafish boy. George was his name. It was a little ironic when Jack thought about it, considering that that was the first name of the bad guy whom his dad fought. George smirked and folded his arms, his expression alone daring the smaller kid to try anything. Jack stood his ground and kept his glare in check.

"My daddy catches bad guys. If you don't leave me alone, he'll get you too!"

"Ooh, I'm so scared!" George sneered. He had suddenly decided to pester Jack in his free time, though this had started a couple of days ago, Jack hadn't told his father, because he wanted to deal with it himself, or at least try to. George waved his hands around in mock terror, which only upset Jack even more. He wished his dad was here right now, so he could show George his badge or something. Jack knew that getting in a fight, a physical one, would not do him any favors. Without a word, he turned around and headed down the hall towards to school doors. Jessica would probably be here any minute to pick him up anyway.

"Yeah, that's right! Walk away, scaredy cat!" George yelled out to him as he exited the building. Jack held out his lower lip in a pout as he approached the sidewalk. Darn George, that poop head, his dad was better than his, because all George's did was work at a store, while Jack's catches bad guys and helped people. Jealousy is what Jack could think of for George's reason for picking on him all the time. Well, he knew that no matter how much George acted like a jerk, it wouldn't change the fact that his dad was still better.

As far as Jack knew, he was probably catching a bad guy or two somewhere right now.

* * *

Hotch sighed as he finished the last of his paperwork. Today, he and his team spent the whole day at the office, not that any of them would have chosen tracking down a killer somewhere around the country instead. Thinking about how people turned to harming others in the first place was part of their job, but at times, Aaron couldn't help but wonder if some minor tweak in one's childhood could have made a difference. He knew that that was mostly wishful thinking, but he wouldn't openly admit to how he was surprised Reid never became like them, considering his less than memorable days growing up. Being a genius, Hotch could almost guarantee that the young profiler suffered bullying, though he didn't want to go too deep into detail on that subject, perhaps Reid was just one of those who hadn't snapped, who still saw the better in others, who's kind and generous nature overcame the negative.

Now that he thought about it, it sounds just like how Spencer is today.

Gazing out his office window, the Unit Chief saw the bullpen empty except for a certain vurly, long-haired young man at a desk, sorting through paper he likely had already read hours ago. Hotch let out a slight smirk at Reid's choice of procrastination. Exiting his office, he went down the steps, approaching his 'second son'. No matter how bad his childhood was or may have been, he was glad that he hadn't ended up being chased by the people he works with, his youthful innocence was probably partly responsible for that.

It still did the young doctor favors today, even if he acted like it annoyed him.

"Ready to head home?" Hotch broke the silence, causing Spencer to flinch a little in surprise, but he recovered quickly.

"Yeah." He smiled up at his boss and dad- er, wait, what? He blushed, but Hotch didn't know the true reason why. He put his paperwork neatly in a stack, putting Morgan's messy mountain to shame. Grabbing his coat he never wore today and his messenger bag, he followed the BAU leader out the doors and to the elevator.

"Um, Hotch?"

"Hmm?"

"Uh, it's _your_ home. Yours and Jack's..." Spencer trailed off. He was obviously embarrassed. Hotch just smiled as he pushed the button.

"And why are you saying that?" He asked, waiting for the doors to open.

"It's true. It's not like it's mine or anything. I mean, uh, I don't want to intrude. E-especially after yo-you took me in that night." Reid stuttered, looking at the floor. He felt like he was making a fool of himself, Hotch's unreadable face didn't help.

"Reid, even though you've been staying at my house for a couple months now, doesn't mean you are burdening me or Jack in anyway." Aaron reassured the fidgeting young man.

"I-I know, but-"

"Spencer, I don't know what I would have done had I driven passed you on the street in the rain, and found out about it later." Hotch said. "I'd probably be feeling as guilty as you think you should be right now." He bared a slight grin. Spencer's cheeks turned red again.

The two agents stepped inside the elevator and went down to the first floor. They went to the parking garage and got inside Hotch's pickup truck. While on the road, Aaron glanced at the clock, it was only 9 PM, and Jack was likely still awake. He noticed a Dairy Queen restaurant to the left and was tempted to offer the youngest of his team something. However, he knew Reid wouldn't want to go there without getting Jack something, and it was a school night, Jack didn't need all that sugar at this hour, and he figured he and Spencer didn't either. He'd go there a different time, when both of his boys would make it.

Hotch dared to turn on the radio, wondering what he might find this time. That "Hey, Soul Sister" song wasn't playing on any stations, only songs he couldn't care less about.

_Kiss me, k-k-kiss me. Infect me with-_

Click.

_She's a dirty, dirty dancer, dirty dirty dancer. Never ever-_

Hotch cringed as flashbacks of the last time he turned on the radio ran through his head. He threw a brief glare at Spencer, who was giggling at the older man's dismay.

_We could have had it all-_

Click.

_I want it that way. But we-_

Click.

_Country girl, shake it for me, girl. Shake-_

Click.

_Today I don't feel like doing anything. I just wanna lay in my bed._

Hotch exhaled, this song will have to do. It was a little catchy, he'll admit, but that other song he and Reid had listened to that one night was good too. Once they arrived home and went inside, Hotch felt like a mini cannonball had been fired directly into him. Jack smiled brightly at his father who had nearly fell to the carpet.

"Hi daddy."

"Hi buddy." Hotch chuckled.

"Did you catch any bad guys today?" Jack asked.

"No, actually. Not today." Aaron replied.

"Oh." Jack said. "Hi Spencer!" The little boy ran around his father and to the thin man behind him. He wrapped his arms around his lanky legs in an attempt to hug him. Reid reached down and ruffled his hair slightly. He was touched to say the least.

"Oh, you're home." Jessica walked in from the kitchen. "I was about to put the little man here to bed."

"I'm not little." Jack said defensively. Hotch nodded at Jessica, as he took into account that Jack was in pajamas. After she packed her things and headed out the door, Jessica said her goodbyes and goodnights to the other three and went to her car. Jack and Spencer settled on the couch, in front of the TV.

"Jack, I think it's bedtime for you." Aaron informed.

"Aww," Jack whined. "Can I stay up just a few more minutes? Please?"

The Unit Chief truly pondered if he should give in to the protesting child. He shouldn't let him since it was a school night, though he did adore Spencer, and that was what made him consider.

"I'll tell you what." Hotch started. "I'm going to take a shower and when I'm done, it's-"

"Bedtime. I know." Jack interrupted.

"That's right." He nodded, then turned to make his way to the upstairs bathroom.

"Don't hurry!" Jack called over to him. Hotch rolled his eyes when he heard him and Reid laughing. Jack was glad his father allowed him to be up a little more, and went to shower, because now he could talk to Spencer alone.

"Hey, Spencer?"

"Yeah, Jack?"

"Did you ever have bullies at school?"

"Bullies?" Reid tensed. He wasn't sure if he should tell Jack the truth, as long as he didn't have to explain too much about his experiences, but he wondered why Jack was enduring them. Even though Spencer hadn't gotten much help as he grew up, he was more than willing to help Jack if necessary.

"Um, what do you mean?" Spencer asked slowly.

"Well, there's this big jerk named George, he pushes me and calls me names and stuff." Jack explained. "And he's jealous that my dad is better than his."

Reid raised an eyebrow at the last of Jack's sentence. Is that really the cause? He didn't know who this George kid is, but the thought of it all being over jealously might seem plausible, but Spencer was one of those who knew better. He remembered his old friend Jeff telling him that that was why everyone at high school picked on him, but he was able to see beyond simple jealously being the reason. He was a misfit, being 4 years younger than the other kids, and having a much higher IQ. He didn't see Jack as being a misfit, considering from what Jack had told him so far, it was only one kid doing the bullying, compared to the multiple that Spencer first dealt with.

By the time Jack finished, Hotch came down the stairs, in a T-Shirt and sweatpants. Reid promised Jack that he wouldn't tell his father anything, at least not yet.

"Alright, Jack. Say goodnight to Spencer." The BAU leader said as he picked up the child.

"Goodnight Spencer." Jack yawned.

"Goodnight Jack." Spencer said softly. Aaron carried his son upstairs to his room, while Spencer went to the bathroom to get in pajamas. He put on a pair of pajama pants, and another dark blue "F.B.I." T-Shirt. He honestly didn't know why, but he was really liking those shirts. He reentered the living room and sat back down on the couch. Hotch returned shortly after.

Eventually, they both went to bed. Reid lied awake on the couch, thinking about Jack and the bully named George. Secretly, he was making plans in his mind. For it to work, he would need to get some sleep soon. After a while, he put everything away in his eidetic memory and closed his eyes, snuggling into his pillow and blankets.

Spencer made sure he was awake before Hotch in the morning. He surprised the Unit Chief by saying he would take Jack to school. Hotch tried to assure him he didn't have to, but Reid insisted, without sounding forceful.

"Reid, Jessica has handled it in the past, she can handle it today."

"I know, but, uh, Jack asked me to." The young profiler lied, trying his best to sound convincing. Hotch understood, he could easily see Jack doing just that, but what puzzled him was that Spencer was almost never late to work, and he most certainly never willingly made himself late.

"Alright." Aaron said. "I guess I'll see you at work then."

"Okay." Spencer watched his boss leave the house and enter the garage. He went to fix himself some cereal as he heard a vehicle engine start. Everything was going to plan so far.

Aaron made sure to take the Chevrolet Suburban the bureau gave him and the others on his team and leave his Ford pickup for Reid. He figured the young genius would have preferred to drive a small truck opposed to a larger SUV.

After Jack woke up, he was surprised to see Spencer, then was happy to know that he was taking him to school. After eating breakfast and getting dressed, the two got inside Hotch's truck and drove to Jack's school. When they arrived, Reid parked on the side of the road, hitting the sidewalk more than once. Once the redness in his cheeks faded, he and Jack got out. Sure enough, a kid, bigger than Jack, with short black hair stood on the grass. He smirked when he caught sight of the smaller boy.

"I see you came back again, twerp." George snickered. Jack glared daggers and continued on. Spencer was quick to get the rest of his plan motion.

"Hey, George, can I talk to you for a minute?" He asked.

"What do you want, freak?" The boy spat.

"I just want to talk." Reid said calmly.

"You look like a girl!" George laughed, pointing at the young agent's long hair. Spencer ignored the comment.

"So, I hear you pick on Jack a lot."

"So? What are you, his dad?" George scoffed.

"No, I'm just a friend." Reid replied, still calm as ever.

"Ohh, you're his girlfriend!" George laughed once more. That nearly drew the line. Spencer knew the boy was remarking his hair, but something about what he said made him just a little angry, but he did well at hiding it.

"No, but I wanted to tell you a little something about bullies." The young doctor said, some of his calmness vanished, but George didn't notice, or he didn't care.

"What about 'em? They tenderize the runts at school, what else is there to know?" The boy said, his voice clearly saying that he didn't care.

"Well, sometimes, people who were bullies as kids become criminals as adults." Reid explained.

"And?" George sounded bored and completely uninterested.

"And, you know what happens to criminals, right?"

"They go to jail. Where else?"

"Actually, not all of them just go to jail." Spencer pointed out.

"Like I care." George mumbled.

"Some of them who run away from the police end up with guns and weapons pointed at them. One of those bullets can cause a person to lose a lot of blood. Thus, they can be killed from it."

"That's their problem, isn't it?" George acted like he would fall asleep any minute, but Reid could sense a hint of fear in the bully's voice.

"And some of them get strapped to a bed and have needles poked into them, so they will die after being sentenced to death." Spencer added a dramatic tone to his voice. "All because they were mean to other kids when they were younger."

George gulped, which Reid noticed instantly. The boy had become tense, he looked around his shoulder every so often.

"So, if I were you, I would stop picking on Jack, or something like that might happen to you." Spencer said in a dangerously low voice. The bully had become wide eyed, as if someone would jump out somewhere and attack him any minute.

"Says you!" George tried to sound unafraid, but Reid's profiling skills could see right through it.

"And George," The young genius pulled out his badge, showing it to the oafish kid. "I happen to work with police. FBI to be precise, and we don't like bullies." He said in a threatening tone that even surprised himself. "I even have a gun." He showed off his holstered weapon, causing George to take a step back.

"Hey, y-you get away from me! Or I'll tell my dad!"

"Don't worry, I'm not planning on doing anything to you. Even if you bully my friend Jack." Spencer assured the boy. "But, _they_ might." As if on cue, a police cruiser, siren blaring, approached the school grounds. At first it looked like it was going to stop in front of the building. George was shaking by now, backing away slowly from the thin FBI agent.

"Oh my, it looks like they came here to pick up people who are mean to other kids." Reid said in mock shame. He turned back to where George had been standing, only to see him halfway up the steps to the school, screaming all the way.

"Help, they're gonna get me!" George's shouts became faint and indistinct after he disappeared behind the doors. He stood where he was for a minute, smirking at a job well done. Speaking of jobs, he needed to get to the BAU. He quickly got back in Hotch's truck and drove towards the FBI Headquarters. After parking in the the garage, he headed up to the bullpen, where Morgan was the first to greet him.

"Well, wouldn't you know? Pretty Boy is late." The dark-skinned agent grinned. Spencer ignored the teasing as Prentiss and Rossi joined in. He was in too good of a mood to be annoyed today.

"I just had some things to take care of."

"I hope she liked it." Derek snickered.

"I didn't mean like that." Reid mumbled and blushed.

As the day went on, Spencer thought about Jack at school and George, who he had scared the living crap out of to get him to leave Jack, and probably other kids alone. He was somewhat proud of what he did, he gave Jack something he himself never got as a child.

Much to everyone's surprise, today also involved no unsubs. Morgan was happy, except for the paperwork he had to deal with, not that he hadn't slipped some into Reid's pile when he wasn't looking. Once everyone left, Hotch exited his office, knowing Spencer was waiting. After the 'father and son' got in Hotch's Suburban, Aaron made sure to stop at that Dairy Queen they had passed last night. Today was Friday, so it wouldn't matter too much if Jack stayed up late. They ordered four Reese's blizzards, intending to give one to Jessica and went home. As expected, Jack was excited to see them, even more so when he saw what they had brought home.

Routinely, goodbyes and goodnights passed between Jessica and the others. She thanked Aaron for the treat and left. After Hotch and his two boys had finished their own, he went to the kitchen and took care of the garbage. While the Unit Chief was occupied, Spencer turned to Jack.

"Hey, Jack, did George bother you again today?"

"Nope." Jack said simply. "I didn't see him at all."

"Oh, that's good." Spencer smiled.

"Who's George?" Both boys jumped, neither were expecting to hear Aaron when they hadn't seen him enter the room again.

"This big bully of a jerk at school." Jack said with distaste.

"Bully?" Hotch asked curiously.

"Yeah, he's mean, but he only bugged me this morning. Then he didn't pick on me for the rest of the day." Jack pondered, a little confused on why that was the case. Hotch was a little confused too, this was the first he heard of any bully, but his son saying this 'George' didn't really do much today didn't ease his suspicions, that was until Spencer flashed a wink at the BAU leader. He understood now, sort of.

After everyone got in pajamas, and Jack went to bed, Hotch decided now he would ask Reid more about this bully, since he seemed to know more about him than he did.

"So, mind filling me in on this 'bully'?"

"Well, let's just say that Jack doesn't have to worry about him anymore." Reid winked again.

"Reid..." Aaron said skeptically.

"What?" The younger man asked innocently.

"I'm guessing I don't want to know." He sighed.

"I just talked to him. That's all." Spencer said. The older man nodded, but he was still unsure. It was late, and Hotch warily decided to let the matter drop, at least for tonight. He leaned over and grabbed his blue comforter and covered himself and Reid with it. Spencer felt a smile form on his face as he leaned against his dad, er- _Aaron._ The warmth from the blanket and Hotch's arms wrapped around him made him feel, comforted, safe and _loved._ With a sigh of content, Spencer rested his head on Hotch's shoulder and closed his eyes.

"Goodnight, Spencer." The older man smiled down at his sleepy agent.

"Goodnight, dad." Reid's eyes shot open when he realized what he had just said. For a moment he didn't know what to say or think. Hotch's face was empty of emotion, causing Spencer to fear what he was thinking.

"Hotch..." The nervous young man finally found his voice. "I di-didn't mean, to- I'm so sorry."

"For what?" Aaron asked, the tone he spoke with showed he was not angry or upset in any way.

Spencer whimpered fearfully. "I-I called you..."

"Dad?" The BAU leader finished.

"Um..."

"It's okay, Spencer."

"But-"

"Hush." Hotch gently placed two fingers vertically over Reid's mouth, silencing him. "I'm not upset, Reid, and I might add, whatever you did for Jack this morning, I'm proud of you."

'I'm proud of you', something Spencer never heard William say. Sure, Gideon had said it, and maybe even Rossi had too once or twice, but that was for different reasons. It involved doing his job, nothing considerably personal.

"Thank you... 'dad'." The young man sniffled. With a smile, he relaxed again under the soft comforter.

"You're welcome, son." Hotch smiled, rubbing his hand soothingly around his agent's back. Spencer closed his eyes, feeling sleep approaching. Aaron looked down at Reid, partly wishing for a chance to show William what his son grew up into, and rub it in his face. How could he have left him? He wondered the same thing about Jason sometimes.

Spencer moaned softly in his sleep. He looked so young and innocent. It amazed Hotch at times how he managed to put up with all he's been through at a young age.

Reid felt like he had accomplished a lot today. He helped Jack rid of a bully, and possibly the world of a potential criminal. He gained a true second father, one who wouldn't abandon him like William and Gideon had. Life was good today.

"Hey, Reid?" Hotch asked, not sure if the young profiler was fully asleep yet or not.

"Yeah?" Spencer asked softly.

"We left my truck at the BAU, didn't we?"

Reid froze, how he and Aaron both forgot about it left the genius stumped. With a nervous stutter and the increased difficulty of finding the ability to speak, Hotch sighed.

"I'll take that as a yes."


	8. A Misunderstanding and a Surprise

Getting out of his personal Chevrolet Suburban, Hotch made his way to his house. The whole day had been spent at the office, so Aaron decided to send everyone home early. Reid had taken his truck to pick up Jack from school, while Hotch would figure out what to make for dinner. After unlocking the front door, the Unit Chief stepped inside with a handful of mail. Slipping off his coat, he headed to the kitchen and stood in front of the counter top and sorted through the mail.

"Pay a bill, get a bill, pay a bill, get a bill..."

The power bill, a credit card offer, the water bill, and another credit card offer in that order. Smirking a little at his own bit of humor, Hotch sat the white envelopes down and went to the refrigerator. A half empty gallon of milk, eggs, a block of cheese, some sandwich meat, a cup of Jell-O, and some strawberries. Not much of interest in there. Reaching the cupboard, his search concluded with similar results, but he noticed what looked like something shredded, like some small animal had been responsible. The hole on the cardboard box showed that the crackers inside were completely gone. Aaron went and sat on the couch, feeling a little disappointed. Having run low on food, only to know that some rodent contributed to it. He would call an exterminator soon. Maybe he should also go grocery shopping again some day.

Next time, however, he would make sure his whole team didn't come along like last time.

Shuddering at the memory, the BAU leader tried to get his mind on something else. Suddenly, a sound caught his attention. It was quiet, but just audible enough that he was sure he'd heard it. Rising to his feet slowly, Hotch glanced around until he looked down on the couch, where a small brown mouse met eyes with him. Hotch's own eyes widened before he went to grab the rodent, but it barely dodged his grasp and darted towards an open window. The mouse scurried until it reached a shelf. The stealthy animal climbed up, then jumped out the window and landed in the grass. When the rodent looked up and saw him, it squeaked in fright and hurried off, back towards the house, then disappeared. Hotch frowned and looked out further and noticed a small hole on the outside edge of the house, presumably, where the mouse had ran into.

Aaron never imagined he'd have a rodent problem, but he knew well enough that where there was one mouse, there was likely many more. Making a beeline for the phone, he dialed a number and waited for the other line to pick up.

* * *

"And George never bugged me again!"

"Wow, this Spencer guy sounds cool."

"He is. He catches bad guys with my daddy."

"I wish I could meet him."

Jack and another boy were standing in the hallway, waiting for their rides to arrive. Jack was eager to tell his friend about what happened to the school bully, and who was responsible. George hadn't been seen all day by the younger kids, not that any of them were complaining. The day had been rather pleasant without name calling or being pushed around. Although Jack never did find out what exactly Spencer did to George, but whatever the young agent had done, it clearly straightened the bully out.

"Hey, runts!"

Then again...

"I see your friend isn't here this time, Jack-y." George sneered, he knew Jack hated being called that. The smaller boy tried to keep a straight face, like how his daddy always did, but he wasn't very good at that. George cracked his knuckles and grinned, taking a step closer to the two younger kids.

"What say we play friendly game of tag?" He snickered. "And I'm it. And when I catch you, I'll-"

"Hey, Jack!"

Jack and his friend looked up as George whipped around to see a familiar young man with long, curly hair approach. George gulped and took a step back as Spencer got closer.

"And hello, George." Reid smirked mischievously. "We wouldn't be causing any trouble today now, would we?"

The oafish boy was visibly shaking as he shook his head furiously, taking a few more steps back. Spencer continued to smirk as he stepped forward once. Jack and his friend moved out of the way, as to not get bumped into by George, who now had sweat pouring down his slightly chubby face.

"Ah, nope! Nothing here, right guys?" The bully stuttered. "Heh, yeah, I should be going, so the police- I mean, so my parents don't get mad! Yeah, that's it! And as I was saying, uh, I'll see you later!"

Taking off in a mad dash, his shoes squeaking with every couple of steps as he sprinted away. He lost traction when he rounded a corner and he fell on the slippery floor, landing on his bottom. Getting up quickly, he disappeared after running past the corner, the sounds of his footsteps was followed by a door slamming.

Reid and the other two stood there in silence before they all burst out laughing. Jack clenched his stomach, which had started to hurt from laughing so much. Spencer was the first to calm down, he wasn't used to people being afraid of him, other than animals and most children. Once Jack got a hold of himself, his friend extended his arm out.

"Hi, I'm Jack's friend, Bart."

"I'm Spencer." The young genius said shyly, shaking hands with the boy.

"Jack told me about how you took care of George before." Bart said with awe.

"Oh, he did?" Reid swallowed.

"Yeah, it sounded awesome."

A car horn honked outside, causing Bart to rush to the doors. He shouted a farewell to Jack and Spencer and exited the building. The young doctor and the BAU leader's son stood in the empty hallway for a minute before heading out themselves, hopping in Hotch's red truck. While on their way home, Jack told Spencer about his day at school, how his grades were, and how George hadn't bothered him at all, until right before Reid showed up. The young man allowed himself to get as content as he could listening to Jack, which wasn't much as he didn't really like driving.

Rain began to drop on the windshield, Spencer went to turn on the wipers, but he ended up turning on the defroster.

This was going to be a long drive.

* * *

Reid was thankful he managed to get him and Jack home with Hotch's truck in one piece. The two ran to the house to avoid getting soaked too much. They stopped at the front porch to catch their breath before entering the house. Stepping inside, Spencer helped Jack take off his jacket before removing his own. Jack made a beeline for the TV while Reid went to look for Hotch. Going into the kitchen, he stopped when his stomach growled and opened the cabinet. It was rather scarce of any food, other than some shredded cardboard and crumbs. He closed it back up then saw a small pile of mail on the counter, he could tell that some of it were bills. His curiosity was rising, even though he knew he shouldn't look at other people's mail. His long, slender finger barely touched one of the white envelopes when he heard another voice talking, almost shouting, in anger.

Spencer quickly drew back his hand and looked around for the source of the voice. It sounded like Hotch, but what would he be mad about? He went through the kitchen and carefully peeked around the corner to see the BAU leader on the phone, even despite his usually stoic expression, Reid could clearly see that he was upset.

"What do you mean it will have to wait?" Hotch asked, through an eerily calm tone. "It ate all the food in my cabinet, and it created a hole on the side of my house."

Spencer raised an eyebrow. What exactly was Hotch talking about? He remembered playing ball with Jack one day, and throwing it too hard and hitting the house, making a small hole. He had been meaning to tell Hotch about that. And another day, he ate a package of crackers out of the cabinet, but he most certainly didn't eat the whole box, or everything else that was in there.

"I want it gone, that's what. And you're telling me I have to wait a few days when you aren't even booked? I know it can't happen today. What I'm asking is why not tomorrow?"

Gone? What does he want gone?

"Yes, it was on my couch, It was brown haired- Wait, why does that even matter?"

What was "it"? Surely, Hotch wasn't talking about him, was he? Spencer swallowed. There had to be some explanation. Hotch isn't talking about him. The young doctor felt foolish for letting such thoughts run through his head.

"Oh, sure. I simply invited it into my house." Aaron spoke sarcastically into the phone. "No! I don't know where it came from, and I don't want my son getting sick from it." Reid stepped back for a moment before turning around and headed for the living room. He was confused. He wanted to go and ask Hotch what he was talking about, but he felt he shouldn't bug him in the middle of a "conversation". When he reached his intended destination, he noticed that his pillow and blankets, that were usually folded on one end of the couch, was nowhere to be seen. Biting his lip, Spencer carefully stepped forward and out of earshot from Hotch. He sat down and felt his eyes get watery. Jack, who was on the floor, was too engrossed in his show to notice.

"It ran under my house, and there's probably more." Hotch explained. "I have a guest staying at my house too, is that enough to convince you to come over and get rid of a few mice?"

* * *

Hotch had ended up ordering pizza. For the rest of the day, Reid was fairly quiet and didn't speak much. He couldn't get his mind off the thought that he was becoming a burden to Hotch, but another part of him felt like he was being ridiculous, and that whatever the older man was talking about on the phone, it wasn't about him. Still, he didn't want to bug Aaron anymore than he possibly had already.

The young agent's silence made the Unit Chief curious. That curiosity turned to concern when he didn't eat much at dinner. He attempted to use his profiling skills to see what might be troubling Spencer, but for once, he was unsuccessful. Hotch thought about asking him, but he didn't want to impose, or appear that he was butting into other people's business. He knew how insecure the young man can be, and that he wasn't fond of sharing certain things about his life. Maybe it's just something to do with his mother, or he's just having a down day.

When night fell, and everyone went to bed, Spencer laid awake on the couch, with a new pillow and blanket. He hadn't bothered to ask where the ones he had been using went, and this other blanket wasn't quite as warm. He would have asked for another, but he felt that he was taking up enough of Hotch's stuff already, even though he was offered. The young genius tossed and turned a couple times, failing to get comfortable for the first time since he started staying here a few months ago. Did Hotch really want him to leave? Was he tired of him? No, that can't be, can it?

Reid than recalled the pile of mail on the counter top. While he wasn't about ready to look at someone else's mail, he figured if Aaron was already upset with him, what could it hurt looking at a bill? Pushing the thin blanket off, Spencer shuffled to the kitchen after turning on some of the lights. He went to where the few white envelopes sat, undisturbed from when he last saw them. Picking up the one on top, he carefully opened it and pulled out the folded papers. He glanced at the total for the power bill, and noticed it was rather high for somebody like Hotch. Another piece dropped and he picked it up and looked at it. It was a chart, showing how high the bill had been in the past. From what he could tell, since beyond April 29th, the total cost had increased a lot. And that happened to be the exact date when he first came to Hotch's house, or was brought here after the BAU leader found him on the road that night.

Spencer understood why Aaron was upset earlier; He was the reason the bill was so high, thanks to his fear of the dark and the need to have a nearby light on. And this started since the end of April, that's a pretty long time of paying a high power bill just because of one person. He felt terribly guilty, he didn't know what to do. Maybe he could start helping pay for the bills, but he didn't have much of his own money with him right now.

Dropping the envelope and papers on the counter, Reid wandered around and searched for a blank piece of paper and a pen. After retrieving both, he sat at the dining room table and started to write.

_Dear Hotch,_

_I'm sorry if I was a burden to you in any way, and that I'm responsible for your high electric bills. I'll go back to my apartment so I won't cause you or Jack anymore trouble, I promise I'll help pay for the bills. I don't want to feel like I'm interfering your life or your relationship with your son, and I deeply apologize._

_Spencer._

Sighing, the young profiler carried the note and sat it on the rug in front of the door. He still partly felt that maybe he was being silly over nothing, but he ignored it as best he could. Grabbing his gun and credentials, he carefully slipped out of the house, re-locking the door before closing it. He took one last look at the quiet household before heading to the sidewalk, using the street lights to find his way home. A cool breeze chilled him to the bone and made him shiver. He sniffled and wrapped his arms around himself.

He truly didn't want to think that Hotch wanted him to leave, but he didn't want to take any chances either. A crashing sound of something falling over close by caused Spencer's eyes to widen. He gulped and whimpered nervously before increasing his pace.

When he reached Morgan's house, he was tempted to see if the dark-skinned agent would let him stay there. But after upsetting Hotch, he decided he didn't need to burden the rest of the team. They do enough saving his ass every so often when on cases, especially Derek. Sighing sadly, he continued on. Once he finally reached his apartment, he saw a note taped to the front of the door. He barely needed to look at it to know that it was an eviction notice-- For not paying the rent for so long.

_Great._ Just what he needed, a possible rejection and now he's getting kicked out of his place. How could the rent slip his mind? He had an eidetic memory, but apparently, it doesn't always work. Exhaling, he unlocked the door and went inside. He tossed his gun and badge on his dusty table and headed straight for his room, he saw the bag and clothes still scattered around. He pushed off anything that was on his bed and turned on his nightlight before getting under the covers and plopping his head on the pillow.

* * *

Hotch stretched and sat up. He didn't sleep very well last night, he felt as if something was off. Getting out of bed, he went straight for Jack's bedroom, slowly opening the door, he peeked inside and saw his son sleeping. Nothing out of the ordinary. He shrugged and went downstairs to check on Spencer, only to find the couch lacking of any occupant. He didn't immediately panic like last time, as he saw the young man's cell phone on the coffee table. Aaron would have figured he went for a walk again, but his credentials and weapon were gone. He knew Reid hated being "treated like a baby", but being as young as he was, it tended to be a natural thing for the rest of the team. The BAU leader decided to wait a while and see if he would eventually return.

Jack yawned as he went down the stairs. He looked over at the couch to see it empty, then at his father who was heading for the kitchen. Hotch stopped when he noticed his son.

"Good morning, buddy."

"Good morning, daddy." The boy replied. "Where's Spencer?"

"I think he just went for a morning walk." Aaron said, though he wasn't fully certain. "I'm sure he'll be back in time for breakfast."

Jack nodded and trailed behind the Unit Chief into the kitchen. Hotch went to the refrigerator and pulled out a carton of eggs and a stick of butter. He sat them on the counter and pulled out a frying pan, started up the stove and used a spatula to cut off some butter and lather the pan with it.

"We'll make breakfast and have it ready for Spencer when he comes back." Hotch said. "I'm sure he'll be hungry."

"Okay." Jack smiled. He liked that idea. The boy wandered off to the bathroom to wash up, then he noticed a piece of paper on the floor by the door. Curious, he went over and picked it up. When he started reading, he was confused as to what it meant. He brought it back to the kitchen and handed it to his father.

Once Aaron finished reading, he was equally confused. He didn't understand where Spencer got such an idea. He wasn't tired of the youngest on his team, or sick of him in any way possible. In fact, he enjoyed spending time with his as if he was a second son. And he was sure he made it clear these past few months that the young agent is wanted and loved. Something William Reid failed to do.

"Daddy, what happened to Spencer?" Jack asked.

"He's fine, Jack." Hotch said. "He just needs some help right now." The profiler grabbed the keys to his Suburban.

"Can I come?"

The only thing on Hotch's mind at the moment was going over to Reid's apartment and assuring him that he was no burden, and that it was a mistake thinking he was unwanted. After ignoring his opened mail he saw on the counter, he snatched his phone and dialed Jessica's number.

"I'm having Aunt Jessica come over. I'll be back later today, hopefully." Hotch placed the phone to his ear and waited for the other line to pick up.

"Aw," Jack whined. "Okay." He complied.

* * *

Spencer sat on his dirty couch, reading a book. He hoped Hotch wasn't too upset, considering how long he had been staying at his house, feeling like a freeloader when he had his own place to stay. Well, not exactly anymore, he still had that eviction notice.

His stomach growled. All his food was spoiled, not that he had much to begin with. He felt a little shameful leaving Hotch's house, but at least he isn't in the way of the Unit Chief's life anymore.

Sure, it was nice when it started, when Aaron willingly welcomed him into his home, which was a definite cure for his loneliness that night. But good things don't last forever it seemed. Even right now he still felt that he misunderstood something, that Hotch wasn't talking about him. But he was too afraid to confirm his own fear of being rejected by another person in his life.

First William, then Gideon, and now Hotch? He sighed, remembering when Morgan hadn't taken too kindly of him when he first joined the team, but that's a thing of the past, at least he hoped so.

The young doctor was startled when there was a knock at the door. He wondered if it was Hotch, here to possibly tell him that he thought wrong, that he was not an interference. He swallowed, and prepared to seek comfort from a man he recently considered to be his true father. He didn't bother looking through the peephole when he opened the door. He froze when he saw a familiar man with short dark hair. It was shorter than Hotch's. He donned a blue dress shirt, gray slacks, brown belt, and black shoes. And a suitcase.

The last time he saw him, was back in Las Vegas when he thought he was the murderer in a case.

"...Dad?" Reid squeaked, having difficulty finding his voice.

"Hello, Spencer." William cleared his throat, he seemed to be having an equally hard time speaking.

"What are you doing here?" The younger man eyeballed his father's suitcase. He wanted to demand how he got his address, but that could wait.

"May I come in?" William asked. Spencer really wanted to say 'no' and slam the door in the older man's face. He managed to refrain from doing so. Exhaling, he stepped aside and allowed him to come inside.

"What are you doing here?" Reid asked again, recovering from his short-lived shock.

"I was coming by to visit, maybe even for a short stay." William gestured to his suitcase. "I tried calling you, I even left messages, but I never got a reply."

_Gee, I wonder why._ Spencer thought sarcastically, but he would never tell him the real reason why he hadn't answered any calls. How did he even get his number? He didn't want this man in his apartment, that he was going to lose soon anyway. He didn't want to be near this man at all.

"Spencer, I thought maybe I could make up for when I wasn't there for you." William spoke.

_You're too late. Gideon and Hotch already took care of that._ Reid thought. As saddened as he was by the BAU leader, and angered by the former Senior SSA, he'd rather be with one of them than his _actual_ father.

Spencer was ready to lash out at William, and thanks to his profiling skills, he could tell that his father was about to speak as well, probably about some other pathetic excuse for abandoning him and his mother.

Their mouths opened, voices ready, but they were both cut off by a knock at the door.


	9. Taking a Stand

Spencer froze after the knocking stopped. This time, he was certain that he knew who was at the door, but considering that his _real_ father was here, he just wasn't sure what to do. William continued to face his son, looking at him expectantly. Reid glanced back and forth between the door and the older man beside him. To be honest, the door was much easier to look at than his father, who finally spoke, breaking the awkward silence.

"Are you going to get that, or would you like me to?" He asked.

Spencer gritted his teeth for a second before wordlessly getting to his feet. Once he reached the door, he looked through the peephole and sure enough, it was the BAU leader. What was he to do? He couldn't tell his father to leave, nor did he want to make Hotch leave. Either way, suspicion would arise, and he feared what the outcome would be if he let Hotch in while William was here. Unfortunately it seemed that he didn't have any other choice at this point. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door.

Hotch's usually stoic face was concerned and apologetic. Spencer felt a hint of happiness in his boss's presence, but his actual father was still here, otherwise, Reid would jump into Aaron and cry on his shoulder. He still was uncertain about yesterday, but he also wished to be hugged and told that everything was alright, something William never did in his life.

"Reid?" Hotch spoke softly.

"Yeah?" The younger man squeaked.

"Did you really think I wanted you gone?" He asked, getting straight to the point, looking at his agent in the eye.

"Um," Spencer blushed and looked at the floor. "Y-yes, I did..." He trailed off.

"Spencer," Aaron grabbed the young doctor's chin and forced their eyes to meet. "You know that wasn't true."

"But, I heard you on the phone, I-I thought-"

"Reid, I was talking to an exterminator."

"An exterminator?" Spencer questioned.

"Yes, there was a mouse-"

"Spencer, who is this?" William interrupted.

Reid looked between Hotch and his father, unsure of what to say. Aaron had never met William, though he had heard many unsatisfying stories about him. Clearing his throat, he spoke.

"This is my boss, Aaron Hotchner." William nodded.

"Hotch, this is my... dad, William."

"Pleased to meet you." William greeted as he extended his hand out to the Unit Chief, who hesitantly took it in his own and shook. William eyed the taller man up and down, that constant stern expression was a bit unnerving, and Hotch took notice. All the better reason to keep it up.

"So, um, what brings you here?" He asked Aaron.

"I came to check up on Reid." Hotch replied.

"Spencer? Why?" William turned to his son. "Rough day at work or something?"

"Uh, yeah, yeah." Reid lied, before Aaron could say anything.

"I see." He said. "Well, it was nice meeting you Mr. Hotchner, but I have some things to do with my son." Spencer passed a glare towards his father, who didn't notice, before sending Hotch a pleading look. Aaron said nor did nothing, and his stoic face did not give away anything.

Reid sucked in his lips. He didn't want anything to do with William, other than maybe smack him in the face, not that he would ever really do that. He was glad that Hotch was here now, and he hoped that he would help defend him in any way he could. He was startled when a hand grabbed his own.

"Come, Spencer." William gently tugged his arm, urging him to go to his couch. Spencer felt himself being forcefully pulled, as he wasn't really fighting against it. He gave Hotch another look, but he only stood there, almost as if he was expecting him to do something. The young genius turned back to his father and finally jerked his hand free from William's loose grip.

William turned around and faced his son.

"No."

"What?"

"I said 'no'." Spencer tried to keep his voice firm.

"What do you mean?" William asked, confused. Reid swallowed, Hotch noticed his bottom lip quivering slightly.

"You..." He froze for a second. "You leave me and my mother alone for years, forcing me to take care of her when I was still young. And you suddenly show up in my home, thinking you can make up for that?" The anger in his voice was slowly rising.

"Spencer," William started. "That's in the past. What matters now is the present."

"Easy for you to say." Reid sneered. "You're not the one who had to take care of his sick mother. You're not the one who watched his father leave in his family's time of need."

"Spencer, I just said-"

"The past does matter in a way, _William._ "

Spencer watched as his father's eyes widened a little at the use of his name by his own son. He passed another glance to Hotch, who merely nodded, but then finally spoke.

"The past leaves scars that stay there, far beyond the present, Mr. Reid."

"Especially by uncaring fathers." Spencer joined in.

"I can't believe you, Spencer." William shook his head slowly. "After all-"

"After what?" Hotch interrupted. "After running away because you couldn't take up the responsibility a ten year old could do?"

"You stay out of this." William attempted to defend himself, but it fell to deaf ears. "Spencer is a smart kid. A genius. I-"

"And you were an adult." Aaron sent one of his best stern glares to the other man. "Genius or not, Spencer was a child, and yet you stuck up only for yourself and not your family."

"You, Mr. Hotchner, likely did not have a crazy wife. That is, if you are even married."

"I am a single father, because I lost my wife to a serial killer." Hotch explained. "And I am a profiler, I know how schizophrenics behave."

"And I didn't." William said, exasperated. "What do you expect of me?"

"Be a man, make choices, and not force your son to do everything."

"I didn't know what to do." He sighed. "I am no genius like Spencer."

"So you're saying that you're stupid?" Reid asked blankly

William was shocked to say the least. "Spencer, how could-"

"When you don't know what to do, that doesn't mean that you abandon the ones you say you love."

"Spencer, I do-"

"You were never there for me, or my mother."

"I'm here now."

"Why?" Hotch asked. "So you can manipulate your son? Or so you can suck up for the two decades you spent only looking out for yourself?"

"I was there for my son." William defended.

"Yeah," Spencer scoffed. "You were there when I was born, that's it."

"There were other-"

"I have an eidetic memory, 'dad', and I know for a fact that you _weren't._ "

"That is not true."

"I couldn't believe it when I found out that you lived only nine miles away, and not once did you check up on me or mom."

"I kept tabs on you, way back when you first joined the FBI."

"Like I care." Reid stared down at his father. "It's not like you ever spoke to me or anything."

"Spencer, listen to me."

"No, you listen to me, William. The team that I work with has been the closest thing to a family I've ever had."

"But, Spencer, how could you say that about me and your mother?" William tried hard to match the authority in his voice to Spencer's but he wasn't successful.

"I'm not saying anything bad about mom, I'm talking about you." The younger man spat. "Hotchner, and Gideon, another person on my team, have both been more of a father to me than you could ever be."

"Now, wait just a minute-"

"And Derek Morgan? He's like the brother I never had. Emily and JJ are like older sisters. David Rossi and Penelope Garcia are like an aunt and uncle. They're all unrelated people who showed me what it's like to have a family. A real family where everyone cares about and looks out for each other."

"Spencer, you're being ridiculous."

"Actually," Hotch said. "He's being logical."

William's face was becoming noticeably red, Spencer kept his glare intact, Hotch gazed between the fuming father and son. William then turned to Hotch, who simply stared back. It became Spencer's turn to look back and forth between the two men. Before either of the two agents had time to react, William balled his fist and drew his arm back before swinging it out towards the Unit Chief.

Hotch didn't have enough time to avoid the punch, and he fell back against the wall. Spencer's jaw dropped open and his eyes widened with pure shock. William stood there panting, unsure of what to do next. Without warning he stepped forward and kicked Aaron in the stomach, who allowed himself to emit a grunt upon impact. When he did it a second time, Spencer gritted his teeth, he breathing became heavy as his anger almost overwhelmed him. He balled his own fist and struck William in the back of the head. The older man cried out from the attack as Spencer quickly messaged his now aching hand. He was greatly confused as to what was even going on now. William turned around and sent a death glare toward his son. Just as he reached out to grab him, Spencer narrowly dodged his hands and dashed to his table. William didn't bother immediately running after him as he slowly rose to his feet before following after his son.

Spencer twirled around just in time to see his father a couple feet in front of him. Neither said a word as William made another attempt to grab Spencer, this time his grasp was aimed at the young doctor's neck. Without hesitation, Spencer whipped out his gun and released the safety mechanism. William froze on the spot.

The anger in both of their eyes vanished and was replaced by fear. They both stood there for a moment before Spencer heard Hotch cough as he slowly got to his feet. Remembering what his father had done Spencer kept a steady hold of his weapon.

"Put your hands on your head."

William was about to speak, but he couldn't find it in himself to say much.

"S-Spencer, I-"

"I said put your hands on top of your head!" Spencer ordered. He himself couldn't believe he was saying this, as it was usually Morgan or somebody else. William silenced and slowly did as he was told.

"Don't move." The young man said firmly as he stepped around his father, keeping his gun trained on him. Spencer swallowed as he reached behind him. His hands became overly shaky as he gripped his pair of handcuffs. Once he managed to pull them out, he paused for a minute, finding it hard that he was about to do this.

"William Reid, you are under arrest for assault of a federal agent."

William flinched when he heard a recognizably rapid clicking sound. He bowed his head a moment later as he felt a shaking hand weakly grip his wrist and slowly pull it behind him. As his other wrist was also pulled behind him, he shivered as he felt cold metal encase his wrists. Spencer sighed once he was finished and let William's bound wrists fall. He turned around to see Hotch standing up, from the looks of it, he had been like that for a little while now. Reid walked over to him, leaving his father standing by the couch.

"They're on their way." Aaron said. Spencer nodded, he didn't bother asking who 'they' were.

"Spencer..." William started as he shifted around in his restraints. "I'm, I'm sorry." Reid ignored him while Hotch shook his head slightly.

"Hotch, are you okay?" Spencer asked.

"I'm fine." Aaron replied, though Reid was sure he was lying. Soon, sirens could be heard in the distance, and Spencer felt his eyes get warm and watery. By the time they heard tires screech outside, Reid threw himself into Hotch's chest and started sobbing uncontrollably.

When the team and some officers arrived, Rossi and Prentiss managed to force Hotch to be seen by the paramedics, despite his protests. Spencer felt his legs get wobbly as he watched his father be taken away. He became lightheaded as well when he tried to stand.

"Reid, you okay?" Morgan asked.

"I'm fine, I'm fi..." Although he tried to fight against it, the poor young man lost consciousness and fell to the floor. The whole overwhelming situation was too much.

Never would he ever thought of a day turning out like this.

* * *

When Spencer's eyes opened, he was lying on a hospital bed. Figures. After all, where else would he expect? He rose up, anticipating a headache, but thankfully it was very mild. He looked around and saw Morgan sitting in a chair next to the bed, eating cup of Jell-O. It reminded him of that time where he got anthrax poisoning, and when he awoke in the hospital, Morgan was there, eating Jell-O in front of him. Now that he thought about it, it was probably for him, but Morgan had decided to eat it in front of him anyway.

"Hey, Pretty Boy." Derek greeted him.

"Hi." Spencer replied. "Where's Hotch?"

"Doc's just finishing his check up, then we'll all be good to go." Morgan said.

"Can I get up?" Reid asked.

"You most certainly can." A short, thin nurse walked in. "You just had a nasty bump on your head, we gave you some medication to help with that and your headache."

Before Spencer finished trying to figure out how they knew he even had a headache, he gulped. "Um, medication?"

"Don't worry." She smiled. "Your friend made sure to tell us no narcotics."

Reid breathed a sigh of relief and plopped back down onto the bed. He stayed there for a moment before getting back up and lifting his feet off to the floor. After Morgan tossed the now empty Jell-O cup and plastic spoon in a trash pail, the nurse bid them goodbye. He and Spencer walked down the hall and to the waiting room, where Garcia and JJ were sitting down.

Penelope immediately went over and wrapped Spencer in a hug, who had no choice but to accept the action. When she finally let the young agent go, they all sat back down and Reid looked around the area.

"Where's Prentiss and Rossi?"

"They went to interrogate your d- William." JJ explained. Spencer nodded sadly.

They sat there for a short while until the BAU leader finally appeared. As he approached them, they were only a little surprised not to see any bandages, either that or Hotch denied being given any. They didn't really see any marks or bruises to begin with. The agents and technical analyst left the hospital and drove to the FBI Headquarters. They headed up to the BAU's floor where they met up with Emily and Dave.

"William pleaded guilty to assault of a federal agent." Prentiss said cautiously..

"And believe it or not, they're adding child abandonment to the charges." Rossi added.

Spencer was shocked once again, but he still managed to find his voice.

"How long will... will he be...?" He trailed off.

"Let's just say this," The Senior SSA placed a hand on the younger profiler's shoulder. "He'll probably end up in an old folks home by the time he gets out."

"I just can't believe that he actually... did what he did." Reid said quietly, looking at Hotch for a second before turning to the floor.

"Narcissism." Aaron pointed out rather bluntly. Everyone either nodded or shook their head slowly.

Spencer sighed. "Please, I don't want any pity, I just want... I don't know."

The others grew silent, unsure of what to do. Seeing their youngest like this was hard for all of them. If there was some way to cheer him up in any way, to make him at least crack a grin, they would do it. But how? And what?

Reid continued to look at the floor, his bottom lip quivered, and they all noticed an occasional teardrop fall to the ground. He closed his eyes briefly and sniffled, apparently not caring that he was crying in front of his teammates. They all glanced at each other, hoping that somebody knew what to do. Morgan and JJ were both ready to try give the young man some reassurance, but then Penelope spoke up.

"You know, my Junior G-Man, there is one thing you do know." The quirky woman said, the sides of her lips tilting upward.

"Hmm?" Spencer raised an eyebrow. He failed to notice when Garcia cast a wink to the others, who all each gave her one in return.

The young genius looked up when all of his teammates approached him with their arms spread out. Morgan, JJ and Garcia wrapped their arms around him, before Hotch, Prentiss and Rossi followed suit on the outside. Soon enough, they formed a group hug.

"We love you, Spencer." They all said in unison.

Spencer was unable to hold back the huge smile that formed upon his face, or the tears that were now pouring freely. This was his true family.

"I love you guys too, you're the best." He sniffled again.

* * *

From the safety of her personal office, Section Chief Erin Strauss watched the profilers through the closed blinds of the window. While such behavior is rather inappropriate, and though she _should_ scold them, she just couldn't find it in herself to do so, much to her own surprise.


	10. Welcome Home

As Reid trudged into the house after Hotch, he was fairly exhausted, so much so that he wanted to plop down on the couch right now and go to sleep. The day has been so tiring, that he could almost fall asleep on the floor. When he sat down on the couch, he noticed his old blankets had been folded and sat on the armrest along with his pillow. He raised an eyebrow, wondering where they had been beforehand, since he never asked Aaron in the first place.

Hotch said bye to Jessica and saw her off before heading upstairs to say goodnight to his son, who had recently been put to bed. While his boss was occupied, Spencer went about to make his bed, putting everything exactly how it had been, thanks to his eidetic memory, that wasn't a hard task. When Hotch returned downstairs, Reid had just finished with his bedding, and sat back down.

"You hungry at all?" Aaron asked the younger man, since neither of them had eaten dinner yet.

"I'm, uh, okay." Spencer said, but his stomach growled right after he said that. He blushed when Hotch sent him a stern glare before watching him head to the kitchen, in which he began to follow. The BAU leader retrieved a couple slices of leftover pizza from the fridge, handing one to Reid, who accepted it without hesitation before he took a bite. They finished their rather small meal quickly and returned to the living room.

Spencer tried to soak in the day's events. His unwanted dad appeared at his home, whom attacked his boss, and had proceeded to attack his own son as well, which ended up with him arresting his own father. He was put away for a long time, the exact amount was unknown, as Rossi never did tell him. He still had that eviction at his apartment, he would need to find a place to move his stuff, but he wasn't quite sure where yet. And his mother still needed to know about William, something that Reid knew should be told in person. Hotch could tell the younger man was deep in thought, and he had a pretty good idea of what he was thinking about.

"Hotch?" Reid suddenly asked.

"Yes?" The older man answered.

"Um, would you possibly know of a good storage facility anywhere?"

Aaron raised an eyebrow. That wasn't the question he was expecting. "Why?"

"Well, I have that eviction at my apartment, and I need to move my stuff somewhere." Spencer explained sheepishly.

"What about here?"

"Oh, no, I couldn't do that, Hotch! I mean, it's a nice offer, but I don't want to take up your house." The young genius admitted.

"Reid, you've lived here since April, I think I could manage if you brought your stuff over." The Unit Chief said.

"But, your electric bills... I'm the reason they're so high." Spencer looked down at the floor, his hair curtaining his face.

"Spencer, I could easily handle those bills if they were double what they were now."

"That isn't fair though, you've done so much for me already—"

"And I'm willing to do more."

Reid took note of the older profiler's sincerity in his voice, he wasn't used to hearing it much. He felt the sides of his lips slowly turning upward as he looked at his hands, when Aaron saw him, he felt a smile growing on his own face.

Spencer stifled a yawn as his eyes were beginning to feel heavy. He shoved himself off the couch to get in pajamas, Hotch soon did the same. Reid slipped on some flannel pants and his favorite F.B.I. T-Shirt, he should probably order some more of those shirts. Aaron came back, ironically, wearing an F.B.I. T-Shirt as well, and some sweatpants, carrying his soft blue comforter. The two men settled on the couch, Hotch wrapping the blanket and his arms around Spencer, who sighed with content and rested his head on the BAU leader's shoulder. His father never did stuff like this, but while that's in the past, it's something he can't forget, even if he tried. That's all thanks to his memory though.

However, Reid also knew that when it came to childhood trauma, an eidetic memory isn't necessary for it to stick to one's mind. Morgan confirmed this with Reid while they were conversing during that case in Texas.

Feeling completely relaxed, and safe in his boss's arms, the young doctor drifted to sleep.

* * *

"Thank you for taking me to the airport, Hotch." Spencer said as he grabbed his go-bag. "Is there a certain time I should try to get back?"

"Reid, I'm sure we'll manage without you, for a couple days at least." Hotch smirked, causing the younger man to roll his eyes. "Just take your time while you're there, and tell you're mother I said 'hi'."

"I will, and thanks again." Reid smiled, before turning toward the automatic doors. He glanced briefly behind him, where he saw Aaron's Chevrolet Suburban 1500 drive off to the BAU. The team had urged their boss to take a couple days off after what had happened yesterday, but it fell to deaf ears. Real fitting for Hotch though, like he would ever take a day off when his team tried to get him to.

Making his way through the crowds, security, and the terminal, Spencer seated himself in a semi secluded spot and waited for the flight to begin.

After arriving at his hometown, the young profiler looked around. Though he hadn't nearly forgotten what Las Vegas looked like, as that was impossible anyway, it felt nice to see it in person. He decided to take a bus to the Sanitarium, so he wouldn't have to go through the uncomfortable task of driving. There, he entered the doors and went to the front desk.

"Can I help you?" A kind, aged nurse asked.

"Hi, I'm here to see Diana Reid." He said. "I'm her son, Spencer."

The nurse nodded. "Spencer, what a lovely name." She smiled, causing the young man to blush. She lead him to a door with a familiar number, which he knew lead to his mother. She knocked on the door, informing the occupant that someone was here to see them, and opened it. Reid swallowed when he saw Diana with a defensive look on her face, but it vanished instantly when she laid eyes on her son.

"Spencer!" Diana exclaimed. "What brings you here?" She sounded surprised. Makes sense though, Spencer didn't tell her that he was coming to visit in the first place. He was afraid that she would ask why, even though she never had in the past, because there was one main reason why he was here right now.

"I came to see you, mom." He said softly, Diana's smile grew. The nurse knew when it was her time to leave, she exited the room and closed the door. She was a little shocked since this was the happiest she'd seen Mrs. Reid in a long time.

"Why don't you sit down?" She suggested. Spencer nodded with a 'thanks' and did as he was offered.

"How've you been, sweetheart?"

"Oh, uh, I'm good. I mean, I've been better, no, wait-" He said, more nervously than anticipated..

"Something's wrong, isn't there Spencer?" Diana asked suspiciously. "And don't lie to me."

Reid cursed himself. At times his mother could almost be a profiler, but the way he had stuttered like that, an average person would've beem able to sense something. It didn't matter too much he supposed. He was going to tell her soon anyway, he had to.

"Mom," Spencer cleared his throat. "You still remember Willi-, Dad, don't you?"

"Yes, why?" She responded cautiously, almost glaring daggers at the very thought of her husband.

"Um, well, Mom, I'm not sure how else to tell you this, but Dad... got arrested last yesterday."

"Hm, good riddance." Diana snorted, which actually surprised Reid. When she said nothing more, the young genius continued.

"Yeah, uh, he came to my apartment, soon after he did, my boss came by to check up on me. You remember Aaron Hotchner, right? We all argued, and Dad attacked him." Diana seemed to be letting the information sink in as her son spoke more. "When... When he came at me, I, I had to pull my gun out at him, then I... handcuffed him and officers came soon after and took him away," He finished, feeling a little ashamed talking about his father like this, even if it...

"Serves him right." Diana sneered. "Hurting my baby and his friends like that? Oh, for shame." She sounded like a scolding mother. Reid only nodded, not sure what else to say at the moment. The memory of the day before ran through his head. The somewhat absence of sincerity in his father's apology, Hotch getting punched by him, Morgan asking Reid if he was all right before he passed out.

"He was charged with assault of a federal agent, and child abandonment." Spencer explained. "He's going to prison for a long time, a _really_ long time."

"It's a good thing he is," She said. "Or I'd scratch his eyes out."

"I have no doubt about that, Mom." He chuckled. Diana smiled briefly. She couldn't believe William would dare do such a thing. Well, she should believe it, after all, he did walk out on her and their son, probably enjoying life without them as far as she cared. Spencer deserved a better father than that. Correction, he _deserves_  a father, period.

"I'm sorry he was your father, Spencer." His mother said, confusing the young man for a minute.

"Why?"

"You should've had a more decent father than William." She sighed.

"It's not your fault, Mom." Reid said, not wanting his mother to feel guilty.

"But I'm not there to know you're okay." Diana begun. "I worry about you, and someday I may never see you again. I wish for you have someone to look after you, just so I know you're safe. There is nobody though." She exhaled. The young doctor tried to object, but his mother went on.

"You're grandparents are both dead, so are both of your aunts, and at least one of your uncles. I'm afraid I'm your only family, Spencer, and I can't be there for you."

"I do have family to look after me." Reid began to smile. "The team I work with, the BAU."

"Oh, yes, your friends who work at that government building."

"Not exactly, Mom." He laughed. "It's a federal building, but it is actually working for the government." He mumbled, hoping the words wouldn't upset her. Diana nodded. Spencer breathed, he shouldn't worry too much, it's not like his mother was having an episode, but she still tended to be suspicious.

"Aaron Hotchner, my boss, he treats me like a father would. A real father, not like William. Derek Morgan and Jennifer Jareau are like older siblings, so is Emily Prentiss, but you've never met her." Reid said, he swallowed once, remembering when he had told this to his father. "David Rossi and Penelope Garcia are like an uncle and aunt. And of course, I have you too, Mom. I'd say, on the subject of family, I'm pretty covered." He smiled.

"That's good to know, Spencer." Diana returned the smile. He was relieved she hadn't gotten upset about anything he had said.

"Hotchner, he's been letting me stay at his house, so I wouldn't have to alone. That, and I recently got an eviction at my apartment."

"Who on Earth would kick out such a sweet soul like yourself?" She said in shock.

He laughed. "Well, Mom, I hadn't been paying the rent, and they won't exactly accept it now, so I need to move my stuff somewhere."

"You said you were staying at this Hotchner's place, why don't you move your stuff there? He sounds like a caring man after all."

"He is." Spencer admitted. "And he did offer me to live there permanently. I had even considered moving my things there when I got back, but I wasn't sure if you would be upset about it."

"Well, I would be even more upset knowing my baby doesn't have a roof over his head." Diana said. "And I'm not about to let them keep you here."

"They're not, Mom, I was just thinking of staying for a couple days. If that's okay with you."

"But, of course." She smiled.

Over the period of those days that ended up being three, Spencer and his mother talked, played board games when supervised, and did activities together. The Sanitarium provided food for the young profiler, though he was reluctant to eat it, fearing that one day it may be the stuff he'll eat every day. Diana managed to coax him into eating, pointing out how much he was underweight. Spencer enjoyed the quality time he got to spend with her, it brought back the better memories of when he was younger. He had a hard time leaving, but he promised his mother that he would visit her again sometime, maybe even stay for a week again, like he had back in April, before he went home and eventually found himself cuddled in a blanket, with his dad- _Hotch_ wrapping his arms around him protectively.

Spencer wiped a stray tear as he exited the building. Gripping the strap on his go-bag, he sat at the bus stop and waited. He wondered what the team was doing, if they were on a case, or maybe at the office? He smirked at the thought of Morgan, bored with a mound of paperwork, which he couldn't pass to Reid since he wasn't there.

He hopped in a bus after the driver confirmed it was headed to the airport. When he arrived, he paid his fare and entered the busy area. After the usual security procedures, he once again found a mostly empty spot on the plane. There he pulled out a book that he'd brought, and already read twice since he left Quantico. He eventually dozed off, images of his father sitting in a cell, likely waiting trial, appeared in his mind.

* * *

When Spencer finally arrived at the DC airport, he noticed a peculiar group of people, undoubtedly familiar, each held up a sign which read a different thing. A smiling blonde held a sign that read "Spence", a dark-skinned man with a toothy grin held up one that said "Pretty Boy". Reid initially rolled his eyes. A more petite blonde's sign read "Junior G-man", an aged man's "Kiddo", a dark-haired woman's "Dr. Reid", but the sign that caught his attention the most was the one held up by a stern faced man, "My son, Spencer Reid".

The young agent blushed instantly. "How long have you guys been waiting here?"

"A couple hours." Rossi said calmly, as if he didn't have a care in the world.

"A couple hou-" Reid was cut off when Garcia ran up to him and nearly squeezed the life out of him.

"Ah, we missed you." She smiled.

"Easy there, Baby Girl." Morgan laughed. "We need him to be _alive_ in order to show him his surprise."

"Surprise?" Spencer wheezed until Penelope finally allowed him a breath of air.

"Yes, 'surprise'." Derek imitated his wheezy response. He received a glare which he pushed aside.

"What is it?" Reid coughed.

"We hope you like it." Prentiss smiled.

"Yes, but what is it?" He repeated.

"A surprise, what else could it be?" Hotch said, looking rather amused. The young man sighed, giving up on his attempts. He and his 'family' went over to where a black Suburban was parked. They piled in, with Aaron driving, and got on the road. After around an hour long drive, they came up to the Unit Chief's house, Spencer immediately noticed all of his teammates cars parked around the place. It sort of made sense though, that explains why they were all at the airport with one vehicle.

When they got out, JJ told Reid to put on a blindfold in which he'd been handed. He looked at the media liaison like she was crazy, but was told that it was part of the surprise. Knowing that these were his teammates he could trust, and not some deranged unsub that meant to do him harm, he obeyed and allowed himself to be lead inside the house. He was relieved enough when he was permitted to take the blind off, then he noticed that the house setup had changed since he was last here.

A bookshelf, his bookshelf, from his apartment, it was here, sat against a wall near the couch, all of his books were in the exact order of which he had left them before. He noticed his bedding was absent from the couch though, but he also noticed a large box, and when he looked inside, he saw that it was all of his pictures that he had hanging in his apartment. He reached in and picked up two of them carefully. One was of him and his mother when he was younger. Presumably, the photo taker was William, but Reid didn't care to think about him right now. The other was of him and the BAU team, before Dave and Emily joined, when Elle and Gideon were still there.

"There's more upstairs, Spencer." Hotch said. Reid sat the pictures down and made his way up the stairs, the team following. He was almost hit in the face by an opening door when Jessica silently stepped out. She held a finger over her mouth, mentioning for them to be quiet. Jack had helped out a lot while Reid was gone, so much so that he laid down for a nap. The BAU crept past the boy's bedroom, then Reid noticed a sign on a door down the hall, which he knew lead to Hotch's office, but the piece of paper taped to it had words written in crayons, obviously by Jack. It read "Spencer's room". The young genius frowned a little, but that was replaced with shock when he opened the door.

He almost didn't recognize this as Hotch's office, the only thing that was the same was the light tan carpeting. His bed was there with all of it's blankets and pillows, as was his nightstand, lamp, and the picture of him and the current team. The closet, that formally held additional things to Hotch's now nonexistent office, had all of his clothes that had been hanging in his apartment. His dresser was there too, he figured it also had the other articles of clothing that he kept in there. His nightlight was plugged in as well.

It was a near replica of his room.

"Check out the bathroom, Reid." Dave said, gesturing to said room, the door was closed, as expected. Spencer entered opened the door and saw his half used tube of toothpaste standing up on it's lid on the counter top. A cup with holes on the lid held four toothbrushes, one blue, one red, one pink, and one purple. The pink toothbrush was most likely Haley's, nobody had the heart to throw it away, it seemed. Reid knew his was the purple one. Purple was shamelessly his favorite color.

"Wow, guys... I'm not sure what to say." Spencer was still getting over his shock.

"I think a simple 'thank you' is good enough. What do you guys thimk?" Rossi turned to face the others, who all agreed in unison.

"Thank you, everyone. Thank you so much." He smiled nervously, that was all he could think to say anyway.

"I think this calls for a celebration." Hotch called. "When Jack wakes up, and if Jessica wishes to join us, who's up for Olive Garden?"

"Yeah."

"Sounds good, Hotch."

"You bet, boss-man!"

"I am," Emily said. "As long as we make sure Reid gets a mint this time before we leave." She smirked.

"Hey!" Everyone else laughed.

* * *

Dinner went well, everyone had a great time, they went their separate ways when they left the restaurant, heading to their respective homes. While seated in the front passenger seat of his 'adoptive father's' black Chevrolet, he couldn't help but look over to the left as they drove past his former home, that cold, lonely apartment, which he had been conveniently kicked out of. Considering how long he'd lived at Hotch's house already, it's hard to believe that he used to live at those apartments.

When they arrived home, Aaron carried his sleeping son to his room, managing to awaken him long enough to get him in pajamas. After settling Jack into bed, Hotch proceeded to tuck his 'other son' into bed as well. Spencer changed into his usual flannel pants and F.B.I. T-Shirt. He slid under the covers as Hotch made sure his nightlight was on and working. Once Reid was ready, the BAU leader walked over and stroked his hair, the younger man closed his eyes for a moment, relaxing at the calming action. He blushed when his boss planted a quick peck on his cheek, then watched as he went over and prepared to turn off the ceiling light.

"Good night, dad, er, Aaron, I mean, Hotch, urm..." He stuttered, stopping when Hotch told him to shush.

"Good night, Spencer." He waited until his eyes closed and he could tell that he'd fallen asleep. "I love you, son."


	11. The Aftermath

A few months had passed since Spencer had become a permanent resident of the Hotchner household, though they had to admit, not a whole lot had changed. The holidays came and went, as did the cases at work. Besides Reid no longer having his lonely apartment to go to anymore, he soon found out that it was a good thing he moved out, as he later learned that a woman with more than enough cats had moved to another vacant apartment close to his. While he could stand a noisy party, which his neighbors never had to begin with, the constant horrid smell that all those cats would surely bring was all he needed to know about to be certain that he would _never_ go back there again, although he wouldn't be surprised if that woman got kicked out anytime shortly, the thought of his former neighbors all complaining about the smell of feces made Spencer smirk a little.

However, one thing that has always been natural for Spencer was having occasional nightmares. Of course, they had to involve his father in some unpleasant way, which usually resulted in him waking up in the middle of the night screaming, thus waking up Aaron and sometimes Jack. Typically, Reid would feel guilty, as if he was intrusive in some way, though Hotch was always quick to tell him otherwise. After all, this was his home now, he needn't feel ashamed about being in his own house, but before then, Spencer had been living by himself for a long time, where he had no one to comfort him when he had nightmares, and he had learned to deal with them by himself, or so he claimed. Hotch knew better though, especially after Morgan had first came to him and Gideon after Reid told him about them. It wasn't surprising to him either, it's not every day that someone as young as Spencer joined the BAU, much less the FBI, considering all that they see while on the job.

But this wasn't dead people, or people that might die that was haunting his youngest, it was much more personal; his father, William Reid. It made Aaron wonder if Spencer might've suffered abuse while his father was still around, or if it was mostly because of what happened that one day. He also feared that if these nightmares didn't cease soon, he would have to take Reid to a therapist. The Unit Chief could only guess how well that would go over, regarding the young profiler's fear of 'going crazy' like his mother. A therapist didn't have to be an option if Spencer could just find a way to end these bad dreams. Hotch did notice that the severity of them seemed to be lower whenever he was present, whether he was comforting him after being woken up in the middle of the night from Spencer's screaming, or if he was asked if he could sleep on his bed with him, very much in the fashion that a child would.

Reid's lack of childhood allowed his youthful innocence to build up and last a long time, and Hotch had to admit it at times, it was downright adorable, despite his actual age, and the fact that the younger man is actually taller than him, but barely. That's why it hurt him so much to see Spencer in so much pain, and it only made him loath William even more. He hadn't ever told Reid, but he was sure that he could smell alcohol in his father's breath that day. No matter, Spencer didn't seem to care that he was jail either way.

Hotch sat in his office, occasionally glancing out the window where his agents all sat while still pondering if he should just go ahead and get Spencer some help for his nightmares. Right now, the young doctor was doing more than his fair share of paperwork, again. He didn't appear to be frazzled at all, perhaps being around his friends helped keep him calm, which was a good sign in more ways than one in Hotch's opinion.

For starters, he's recently gotten over his trust issues, especially with his friends, though Hotch might personally be responsible for that, as this had only recently developed some time after Reid started living at his place.

But about these nightmares, Aaron would rather that a therapist be a last resort, but he wasn't sure on what else to try that wouldn't possibly upset Spencer, at least not too badly. Then again, should that come to be the only choice and there's some resistance involved, Hotch might have to play the role of the 'strict' parent if it will get the young genius to go.

It was settled, he would have a talk with him later today, hopefully things will go smoothly.

* * *

"See you on Monday, Pretty Boy." Morgan smirked as he lightly patted his young friend on the shoulder before heading out.

"Yeah, see you." Reid mumbled as he was about to finish another bit of paperwork. He might as well do what he can while he can, since he knew that Hotch typically stayed late anyway. However, when he heard the door to his boss' office open, then close, he shot up in time to see him lock the door and approach the bullpen. _That's weird._ He thought. _Since when did Hotch ever leave this early?_ Though technically it wasn't early by normal standards, everyone else was already gone, and it was dusky outside.

"Hey Hotch, leaving already?" Spencer asked.

"Yeah, there's actually something I wanted to speak with you about." Aaron replied.

Reid raised an eyebrow. "Okay." He said. "About what?"

"About your nightmares."

The younger agent froze and visibly swallowed. He knew that his nightmares about his father were still haunting him to this day, and Hotch did too. He also knew that the BAU leader wouldn't let it go by too much longer without some sort of "talk". Spencer wondered exactly what Aaron was going to say to him. Would he tell him to get help? Would he tell him that he's fed up with having to baby him almost every night? Or worse yet, tell him to move out and live elsewhere?

The thought of getting kicked out because he was so much of a burden to the older man frightened him dearly, even though Hotch would never do something like that. The tone of his voice was soft and assuring, something he rarely heard from William, if ever at all.

"Reid, we both know that these dreams have been going on for quite some time now, and I think it would be best if you seek out some professional help." Aaron paused once he finished so that the information had a chance to sink in.

"You mean like a crazy doctor?" Spencer asked timidly.

"That's not what I meant." Hotch said sternly. "What I mean is more like a therapist who can help relieve these nightmares. You can't go on having William haunt you whenever you go to sleep, Spencer."

"I know, you're right." Reid said softly, gazing toward the floor, his hair covering his face. "Okay, I'll go see one." He sniffled.

"It's okay, Spencer. You're gonna be fine." Hotch gently wrapped the thinner man in a hug. "I'll go with you, if you'd like me to." He offered.

"Yes, please." He replied, resting his head against his boss's shoulder. As he felt a hand rub slowly up and down against his back, he was partly glad that the bullpen was empty. He loved Hotch like a child should love their father, one who doesn't abandon them that is. And he hated to imagine if some potential passer-by saw them and got the wrong ideas. Especially in a job like this, that would not be good. Aaron, on the other hand was glad that Spencer complied, rather than act defiant and force Hotch to be stern. Considering what he's been through, having to punish him for less than favorable behavior would've been tough on both of them. He begun to stroke the younger man's hair and wondered when and if he will ever consider getting it cut, or if he even realized how long it was. When Spencer yawned, Hotch knew that it was time to head home. He needed to make an appointment for him eventually too. Once Reid gathered his things, they left the building and got into Aaron's truck, deciding not to mess with the radio in fear of what might come on, the ride home was fairly silent, and Spencer didn't mind, he was sleepy, though part of him wanted to stay awake for as long as possible, as he felt that he would have another nightmare if he shut his eyes.

They finally arrived home, Hotch saw Jessica off and went to say goodnight to his son while Spencer went and sat on the couch, where the TV was still on. Meanwhile, Aaron quietly entered Jack's room, the little boy lay on his bed, he looked up to see his father as he carefully sat down.

"Hi daddy." The child greeted sleepily.

"Hey buddy." Hotch replied.

"Is Spencer going to get better?" He asked, sounding rather concerned, his father was caught by surprise at the question, but recovered almost instantly, he smiled and rubbed the boy's head.

"Don't you worry about him, he'll be okay." The BAU leader assured. "I'm going to take him to a doctor who will hopefully be able to help him."

"Okay." Jack yawned as he fisted his eyes.

"Now go to sleep buddy, okay?" Hotch planted a kiss on his son's forehead and made his way to the door. "Goodnight daddy." He heard.

"Goodnight Jack." He said before closing the door. Heading through the hallway and downstairs, he saw Reid watching some crime show involving FBI profilers catching criminals. He then realized that neither them had exactly eaten dinner yet, he went over to the younger man and asked;

"Are you hungry at all, Spencer?"

"Hmm?" He looked away and over to Aaron. "Oh no, I'm good actually." Right after his sentence finished, his stomach growled, easily heard despite the sounds from the TV. Hotch glared and Reid blushed and chose to look at the floor. Going into the kitchen, the Unit Chief opened the fridge and retrieved the rest of some leftover chicken noodle soup that Jessica and Jack had for dinner earlier. Pouring an equal amount of the remaining contents into two separate bowls, he heated them in the microwave and waited. The smell of the soup traveled all the way to the living room, which caused Spencer's stomach to growl even more. The microwave beeped, indicating that it was finished. Hotch opened the door and pulled the two hot bowls of soup out, he then grabbed two spoons and placed them in each of the bowls before carrying them back to where Reid was sitting. He sat one in front of the young genius and held onto his own.

They finished their meal and Hotch took care of the dishes and returned shortly. Spencer rocked back and forth on the sofa, twiddling his fingers in his usual nervous manner. Aaron figured he was acting that way because of a therapist visit, though he shouldn't be afraid, it's not like it was some kind of well check for his mental health, it was just something for these bad dreams. Then again, the events from their last encounter with William could have damaged Reid in some way, hopefully not though. Hotch then got an idea, he told Spencer to get in pajamas, while he would do the same. The two men went to their respective bedrooms and got changed into more comfortable clothes. Spencer wore his usual flannel pants and F.B.I. shirt and got back to the couch only to see that Hotch had yet to return. He shrugged slightly and resumed watching his show.

Meanwhile, Aaron had finished changing and crept downstairs past the living room where Reid was and into the kitchen. Hoping this would help the young profiler by easing his mind, he proceeded to whip up what Jack had called "dessert in a cup." A fixing of hot chocolate, whipped topping, chocolate syrup and colored sprinkles. It honestly wasn't that cold outside, but this had become a common treat they had every so often, regardless of the weather. By now, Spencer had began to notice the commotion coming from the other room, feeling that Hotch was likely up to something in there, he ultimately decided to stay put. His assumption was confirmed when the BAU leader returned with the two cups of cocoa. Aaron sat them on the table before departing again. Only a couple moments passed when he came back with that familiar blue comforter of his. Reid smiled fondly, despite his strong memory, his worries were near forgotten already. Even Hotch's usual stoic expression seemed lighter than most days. He sat down, settling the blanket over the two of them, he grabbed their cups and handed one to Spencer.

"Thank you." He said.

"You're welcome." Hotch smiled, glanced at the TV. "So, what exactly is this show all about?" He asked.

"Oh, it's about these people who catch criminals by thinking like them." Spencer explained. "It's a pretty interesting show."

"I see." Aaron replied. On the screen, the episode's antagonist had kidnapped one of the team members, and was trying to force them to admit to things they didn't even do. Near the end, that member had managed to send their team a hint to where he was being held. They saved him in time, but not before he shot the bad guy.

"That is a fairly cool show." Hotch said once the episode had ended. "What's it called anyway?"

"It's called Crim-" Reid started, but Hotch's cell phone cut him off before he could finished. Exhaling, he picked it up and answered. "Hotchner."

A brief pause. "We'll be there." He shut his phone and sat it down.

"We have a case?" Reid asked.

"Yes." The Unit Cheif grumbled. "Sorry Spencer, but it looks like we'll have to put off a therapist until later."

"Mm, okay." He said, trying not to sound disappointed.

"Why don't you take a shower?" Aaron offered. "I'll call Jessica and let her know that we'll be leaving eventually."

"Alright." Spencer said, he disappeared upstairs while Hotch flipped open his phone. He cursed to himself as he found Jessica's number. He selected her icon and waited while it rang. At the same time, he silently vowed that he would help his youngest, he just hoped that Reid would be able to make it through for however long they would be on the job. The rest of the team wasn't really aware of their friend's current 'issue', though it probably won't be like that for long.


	12. A Long, Hard Ride

A single father who had several children had managed to physically abuse every single one of them as they grew up. When they were old enough, he kicked them out. After some years passing, he began to hunt them down, one by one, to make them relive their awful childhood before killing them, most of them, however, he has yet to reach.

This was going to be a tough case, especially for the BAU's youngest.

"Reid, are you okay?" Hotch asked, noticing how much paler the young man had become after opening his case file. Aaron was tempted to ask him if he wanted to sit this one out, but he also knew that Spencer hated being alone, and he would probably rather be with the team, despite what this case was about.

"Yeah, I'm, uh, I'm fine." He replied, his voice wasn't convincing, but Hotch decided to let it drop for now.

After they landed, they split up, going to their designated locations. Since the team had arrived, they had somewhat of a profile, it wasn't enough and they needed more. Unfortunately, by the time this was realized, it was late and everyone was tired. Reid tensed at the thought of sleeping, he knew very well that from what they've seen and heard so far on the case, nightmares were bound to come tonight. Just the thought of being haunted by William, as all the victims were by their own father, frightened him. For the first time, he was actually eager to see a therapist about these dreams, but he knew that that won't be happening until they finish this case, and none of them were sure on how much longer it was going to take. Day 1 has ended and they've made little progress, the chances of it being over with quickly was not looking too good.

When they got to the hotel, nobody was surprised when Hotch proposed that he was bunking with Reid, Morgan made no objection. He, as well as the rest of the team knew that Spencer looked up to their boss as a father more than he ever has to anyone, even Gideon, which was no surprise. The team also felt that if their father ditched them as a child, only to have the next closest thing they had to consider leave them as well, they would probably feel the same way Reid did. The last thing Hotch would ever do is hurt Spencer like William and Jason had, he wasn't like them. He made sure to see and talk to his son Jack whenever he got the chance, even while his marriage was under tension, especially after Haley's death. Not only that, but he now takes care of one from his team like no one has before, Hotch gave everything Spencer never got to experience, it was only fair to the young genius, and besides, Aaron wanted to help like this. Sometimes, the others on the team were a little jealous that they couldn't help their young friend out like the BAU leader can, maybe it was just his fatherly instincts, not that Rossi's haven't kicked in on occasions, but Reid's youthful innocence was just so irresistible. It hurt them so much to think that anyone would even think about causing the young doctor any harm, and they would all be damned if anyone tried to while they were still breathing, not that it hasn't happened more than once already.

Everyone said their goodnights as they retreated to their respective hotel rooms. Emily and JJ shared one, Morgan and Rossi the second, and of course, Hotch and Reid for the third. Aaron allowed Spencer to use the bathroom first to shower and change into pajamas. Once the younger profiler was done, it was his turn. While his dad- _Hotch_ was busy, Reid wondered if he would actually be able to sleep tonight, he knew if he ended up having a nightmare, Hotch would be there right away to comfort him, but all he simply wanted was a dream-free rest tonight, was that too much to ask?

Apparently so, after they both bedded down, Reid was already having trouble just closing his eyes and even trying to go to sleep. He knew a dream would come, he just knew it. Soon though, his tiredness was overtaking his resistance along with his desire to not even sleep at all, at least then he wouldn't have to endure a bad dream, but it looks like his willpower was going to fail him tonight. It was going to be a long night, he could tell, but as long as Hotch was a mere 5 feet away, hopefully whatever would haunt him tonight wouldn't be too severe.

He could only hope so anyway.

* * *

_Dark, that was all he could see, he hated the dark so terribly too. Feel... Wait, all he can feel was leather around his wrists and ankles. Oh, God, what was going on? He tried moving his body upward the best he could, it only collided with something hard, like a ceiling. Oh, he wasn't in some tight space, was he? Oh, no..._

_The dark, being tied down, and tight spaces, three of his biggest fears all together._

" _Somebody! Help me!" He cried out, but from the sound of it, his voice didn't get to travel very far, meaning nobody could hear him. Unless someone would find him, wherever he was, he would eventually die in here, one way or another._

_He heard loud shuffling from outside of- whatever he was in, the top of his tiny prison opened, but still, all Spencer could see was darkness, and now a sudden chill. Unexpectedly, it was like the straps holding him down just vanished into thin air, he subconsciously moved his now free arms and legs around to test them and confirm that he was indeed no longer restrained by whoever did this._

_He tried to look and see who his savior, or possible captor was, but it was just too dark to see anything still, he was actually even afraid to get out the box he'd been originally trapped in. Then he felt a presence, although he wasn't certain, it had to be the person who got him out of that box. Eventually he was able to make out a dark figure, he wasn't sure who it was, or how they may have gotten here, but he should at least try to speak to them._

" _Hello?" Spencer spoke nervously. "Is someone there?"_

_Silence. It only made him more scared, it was almost as bad as being tied down in that box._

" _Hello, Spencer." A voice sneered. The young man looked around, desperate to find the source of the frightening, yet familiar sounding voice._

" _Who are you?" Reid asked, while not expecting the voice to tell him._

" _Spencer, I thought you were a genius who never forgot." He tensed after hearing this. "Also, I am deeply hurt that you somehow don't remember your own father."_

_Reid froze. "Dad?" He squeaked, at the same time learning to dislike calling William his father ever again._

" _Your one and only." He spoke, it sounded like he was smiling. That can't be good._

" _You're not my dad anymore." Spencer said determinedly. "Hotch is more of a father than you'll ever be!"_

" _Still convinced that he's the only one who cares for you, I see."_

" _No, my whole team cares about me, they showed me what it's like to a have a real family."_

" _Is that so? Oh, by the way Spencer," The way his voice sounded just didn't seem right, he wanted to run, but he didn't know where to. "You put me in jail, and I'd like to return the favor."_

_Reid's eyes burrowed, but fear was still quite significant. He dared to ask "What do you mean?"_

" _Let's see how weak you really are."_

_Spencer eyes widened, he still could see nothing, that is until a hand, a remarkably large hand, just came into view, the young genius tried to back away, but he wasn't quick enough, the giant body part grabbed him and lifted him up. His arms were caught underneath the big fingers, leaving him without any possible way to escape or defend himself. He could feel a pair of eyes on him as he tried to wiggle free._

" _You're weak, and pathetic." William's now booming voice spat at the trapped agent._

" _No, I'm not." Reid defended. "My team always tells me that I'm the strongest person they know!"_

_A brief pause. "We'll see about that." Now it sounded like he was grinning, it wasn't long before Spencer felt the fingers wrapped around him slowly but surely get tighter, making it more and more difficult to move, or even breath._

" _Stop! What are you doing?" He cried out in pain. No response came, instead the grip continued to get more strict, he felt as if the very life was being squeezed out of him._

" _Please," He wheezed. "Don't do this, I beg of you." Still no reply, he made one last attempt to struggle free, but with no avail. That is until the death grip not only stopped suddenly, it released a little, allowing Spencer to get a much needed breath of air, his arms were still trapped though, but he didn't care at the moment. His breathing finally slowed when he managed to calm down as much as he could. He wondered about why the sudden change of heart, or it could simply be a trick. He looked up, not surprised that he still couldn't see anything besides the huge hand that held onto him._

" _Thank you." He dared to say as he continued to take in deep breaths._

" _Don't mention it." William's voice spoke in a bone chilling tone, just before the grip from the giant hand suddenly increased tenfold._

" _No!" Spencer screamed out in pure agony as he found himself yet again trying to break free from this torture._

* * *

"No!" Was all that was needed to jolt Hotch awake. He literary jumped out his bed and rushed to his distraught team member. What he saw broke his heart.

Reid's face had fear written all over, his arms were underneath the blanket, acting as if they were trapped within, he squirmed around constantly and without a break, like he was trying to get away from something, or someone. Aaron didn't need to guess twice who that someone might be.

First, he tore off the blankets. "Spencer." He called out, of course it didn't work. He tried louder. "Spencer!" He then began to shake the young man awake. His eyes shot open and he quickly looked around, gasping as tears poured down his face while taking in his surroundings. The team was on a case, they were currently at a hotel, in the room with him was-

"Hotch?" Spencer whimpered.

"Yes, Reid, I'm here." He gently took his hand into his own for reassurance.

"I had another one." The fear had yet to leave his eyes. "I'm sorry."

"I know." He admitted. "It's okay, you have nothing to be ashamed of." He started to rub his back in circles, hoping to ease him some. This was becoming an all too familiar routine to the Unit Chief.

A knock at the door made Spencer jump. Hotch patted him on the shoulder and went to see who it was. He was a little surprised to see everyone else from the team, minus Garcia, who was back in Quantico.

"Everything okay in here?". Rossi asked. In the bedroom, Spencer blushed at the attention he was getting.

"Reid just had a nightmare, don't worry though, I've got it under control." Hotch assured his team.

"Did he say what it was about?" Prentiss couldn't help but ask curiously.

Their leader's gaze fell. "It was about his father again." Everyone looked sympathetic after he spoke.

"Is he okay now?" JJ asked, concerned.

"I think so." Hotch said quietly, glancing toward the room.

"Are you sure, man?" Morgan asked, worry in the dark skinned agent's eyes.

"Yes." He nodded. "You should all get back to sleep, Reid and I are going to do the same." Although still unsure, they complied and returned to their rooms. Aaron relocked the door and came back to see Reid lying in the fetal position in his bed, facing the door. His eyes were open, indicating that he was still awake and hadn't fallen back to sleep.

"When will it end?" He suddenly asked, catching his boss off guard. Hotch's usually stoic expression saddened and he sat down on the bed, stroking the younger profiler's hair.

"Don't you worry, Spencer, we're going to get through this together, the team included." He promised.

"I know," Reid said softly. "It's just that I'm the only one who sees them." His gentle brown eyes looked up, Hotch swallowed. _Why did it always have to be Reid?_

"When this case is finished, the first thing I'm going to do is see if you can get a therapist right away." Aaron stated, he only hoped that that time would come soon.

"Thank you so much, da-, I mean..." Spencer stuttered.

"Spencer, you may call me 'dad' if you'd like, considering you already have before." Hotch smiled genuinely down at his youngest, who returned a small one of his own.

"Okay, dad." He spoke barely above a whisper, before his eyes started to grow heavy.

"We better get some sleep." The BAU leader said as he slowly got up. Reid's tired eyes widened a little.

"Aaron?" He asked.

"Yes, Spencer?"

"Um, can I sleep in your bed?"

Naturally, Hotch wouldn't say 'no', not especially since whatever happened in the younger man's head earlier. He wordlessly slid into his bed, holding the covers over as he quickly patted the empty spot. Spencer eagerly slipped under the covers, then he scooted until he was lying next to his 'father'. Aaron wrapped a protective arm around him before he felt his own eyes droop down. Reid sighed with content before he eventually followed.

The nightmares never came back afterward that night, but that didn't mean they were gone for good just yet.

* * *

The end of the case couldn't have come soon enough, a week and a half passed before the team got the break they needed. They caught the father, most of his grown children now safe, Spencer couldn't shove away the thought on how the unsub kind of resembled William, but it may just be from what he's been dealing with lately.

Everyone felt relieved once they were on the jet heading home. Reid, having calmed down significantly, was playing poker with Morgan and the girls. As expected, he was winning. Hotch was off in a secluded corner of the jet, after having Garcia find a therapist within the DC-Quantico area, he was on his cell phone to confirm the soonest appointment he could possibly get. Conveniently, the therapist she found happened to be watching a story on the news about the BAU saving several people from a man on a rampage, thus he was more than willing to fill Dr. Reid in tomorrow morning, 9 AM. Due to the kindness of his actions, Aaron made no objection, he went down the aisle, seeing his youngest still engaged with his friends, he decided to wait until later to tell him.

After landing, everyone dispersed and headed home. During the drive there, Aaron noticed that Spencer had become strangely quiet compared to just a little while ago, he had a few guesses as to why. They arrived at Hotch's- well, _their_ house, and since they had been gone for so long, Jack was staying at Jessica's. Exhausted as he was, Reid once again was almost too afraid to go to sleep, he had a couple more dreams while they were on the case, but every time however, Hotch was there by his side. Sighing, the young man plopped down on the sofa, Aaron sat down next to him, ready to give him the news.

"Reid, Garcia helped me find a therapist close by, he gave me the soonest appointment I could get for you." The Unit Chief explained.

"Really?" His eyes lit up a little. "How soon?"

"Tomorrow morning at 9:00 AM." Hotch stated.

"Tomorrow?" Spencer repeated frightfully. That meant he had to endure one more night before then. The older profiler noticed his youngest's increase in tension, he didn't need an explanation for it either.

"Reid, I know you aren't looking forward to having to go through one more night, but it is just one more, I know you're afraid that you might have another nightmare, but I promise that I will do anything I can to make it more comfortable for you." Hotch said as he rested a hand on the young doctor's shoulder.

"It's not just that," Spencer admitted. "I'm a little nervous about the therapist, even though I want to see him so he can hopefully help me get rid of these nightmares."

"Do you know of some of the questions he might ask you?"

"I think." He replied. "Actually, I'm not all that sure."

"Would you like me to go over some? You don't have to answer them to me."

"No, thank you." Reid yawned. "Sorry, I'm just really tired, the case and all." Hotch nodded in understanding, they were all tired from the week and a half they spent away from home. Nightmares haunting Spencer during then didn't help, thanks to the case being about a father attacking his children, not that they had any control over that. Although it did fuel his suspicions of the possibility that Reid may have suffered abuse as a child, but these dreams hadn't started until after William's 'visit', meaning either that event alone was the cause, or it had brought back memories that Spencer somehow managed to forget about. There was also the chance that Reid's mother could possibly shed some light on the subject, Aaron wasn't about to go that far to find out though, as he would likely be learning more than he needed to by tomorrow, hopefully.

Spencer was about to drift off, while he was trying to fight it, Hotch was quick to have him get in pajamas so that he wouldn't be wearing his regular clothes in case he did fall asleep. He went and did the same after he felt his own eyes get a little heavier. Upstairs in his bedroom, he had just slipped on a pair of sweats when his other 'son' shuffled inside.

"Hey, Hotch? I was wondering if..." He was hesitant, but then was cut off by his boss.

"Yes, Reid, you can sleep in here again." Aaron couldn't hold back a small smile. The kid was just so damn cute at times.

"Thank you." The younger agent's nervous expression vanished instantly.

The two bedded down, snuggled together. Spencer noticed that Hotch had already went to sleep, he really wanted to sleep himself, but he wasn't sure if another bad dream would come or not. He was so tired though, not just the kind of tired one feels when they want some shuteye, but he was sick of these nightmares, his father haunting him constantly, it's not like he was dead or anything, he was very much alive. Granted, he was in prison, but why was he always intruding his mind? He just didn't get it.

Sighing, he closed his eyes and simply waited for sleep to come. Aaron's arms were wrapped around him protectively, this comforted him some.

Unfortunately, it wasn't enough.

* * *

" _Spencer..."_

" _Leave me alone!"_

" _Spencer."_

" _Please, go away."_

" _Is that anyway to speak to your father?"_

_Reid suddenly felt a pain at his side. When did that happen? Most of all, what caused it? He looked around, that voice was calling out to him, it scared him. He appeared to be in someone's bedroom, it looked sort of familiar. A Star Trek poster hung on the back of the door, An entire wall had a large shelf full of books, the carpeting was a really light tan color._

_Where was he? And what was he doing here?_

_The sight of the poster was short lived when the door flung open. Spencer shot over to see a dark figure, though he could already guess who it was. He gulped and started to back away as the man approached him, he noticed that his usually long legs were suddenly shorter, in fact, he himself had grown shorter, with the exception of his hair._

_A hand came out and struck him on his left cheek. He cried out when a fist made contact with his stomach. Groaning, he looked up, why was his father doing this? What did he ever do to him? Tears slid down his cheeks as he sobbed, strong hands suddenly grabbed his shoulders and began to shake him._

* * *

"Reid, wake up!"

Spencer's eyes snapped open, he was covered in both sweat and tears. He saw Hotch with his hands on his shoulders, looking at him with concern. The young genius collapsed into the BAU leader's chest, crying.

"It happened again, Aaron." He whimpered.

Hotch hugged the sobbing bundle in front of him and rocked back and forth as he glanced at the clock; 6:37 AM.

"Why won't he leave me alone?"

"He will, Spencer, I promise you that. Shh..." He shushed.

"I hope so." Reid sniffled.

_I hope so too._ Hotch thought somberly.

He managed to lay Spencer back down before he fell back to sleep. He looked down at the younger man. His skin has been more pale recently, for likely obvious reasons. He hoped dearly that the therapist would be able to help him, otherwise, he didn't know what else to try. He decided he would go down and start making breakfast, if Reid was even hungry. While he didn't really want to leave him alone, even though he was just going to be downstairs. He carefully slid off the bed and tiptoed out of the room.

Hotch sighed after he entered the kitchen, it was hard seeing someone like Reid suffering like he was, and considering it's not the first time. He's been kidnapped once, held hostage twice, caught anthrax poisoning, been shot in the leg, had his father try to attack him, and now he's being plagued by nightmares. He could only assume what his childhood was like, and he'd be damned if he actually had been abused by William at the time.

Shaking the thoughts from his head, he pulled out the waffle iron and started it to let it heat up before he began to work on the mix. Once that was finished, he poured some into the maker and closed the lid. While waiting, he pulled out some strawberries, whipped topping and chocolate syrup. The first batch of waffles were done, he sat the steaming food on a plate and spread some strawberries on the waffles, followed by the whipped topping with a drizzle of chocolate syrup on top. The Unit Chief couldn't help but lick his own lips at his masterpiece before he started a second batch.

Spencer opened his eyes, he frowned when he found the bed empty, then the smell of something delicious caught his senses. He knew then that Hotch must be making something downstairs. He crawled out of bed and used the bathroom before heading down. After passing through the living room, he saw a plate of food on the table, just looking at it made his mouth water. The young profiler looked over and saw his boss dishing up more waffles, piling goodies on top.

Aaron started for the table when he met eyes with his team member. They shared a silent smile before sitting at the table after he grabbed a couple of forks. To say "good morning" seemed a little inappropriate, with regards to last night.

Reid used his eating utensil to pick up a piece of his food, he put it in his mouth and closed his eyes, savoring the taste. "Mmm."

Hotch took a bite himself. "Not bad." He said before taking another.

The 'father and son' finished their meal, this time, Hotch allowed Spencer to help with the dishes. When they were done, he glanced at his watch, seeing that it was 8:19 AM. He offered Reid to take a shower first before they left for his appointment. The younger man felt the butterflies in his stomach reform, yet he was excited at the same time, he had his hopes up that he would finally put an end to his nightmares.

After he had bathed, Spencer got dressed, his usual dress shirt, tie, and sweater vest. Hotch stepped out of his room, fully dressed also. "You ready?" He asked.

"Yeah." Reid nodded.

The two agents left the house, locking it behind them. Aaron frowned when he saw that his truck had two flat tires. He didn't recall them being low since he last drove it. Shrugging, he got into the driver's seat of his Suburban, Spencer hopped into the passenger seat. After backing out onto the road, they headed off. Reid had began to fiddle his fingers again, it was his way of attempting to deal with nervousness, Hotch wondered if some music might calm his nerves, but he was also afraid of what might come on this time, after already having two bad experiences with the radio, and if he ever had to listen to that Bieber kid one more time...

"Reid, what kind of music do you like?" He asked curiously.

"Beethoven?" Came a reluctant reply.

"I doubt we would find that on the radio." The BAU leader shook his head before turning it on. "What else?"

"Um," Spencer pondered. "Country?"

"Country it is." Hotch flipped through the stations until he found the right one. They sat in silence, aside from the tune playing, although that didn't last long until...

"Did you know that George Strait holds the record for the most number one hits on the Billboard Country charts? He ranks only behind The Beatles and Elvis Presley for record sales, and he is only the second artist to be inducted in the Country Music Hall of Fame while still actively recording. Also..."

Aaron couldn't hide the smile forming on his face. _That's the Reid I know._

After double checking the address to confirm they had the right one, Hotch turned the large SUV into the parking lot of a two story building. Spencer caught a glimpse of the sign before they passed it. "Dr. Cesar S. Aled?"

"Hm, strange name." Aaron thought aloud. He started hoping that Garcia had picked a good one. The two FBI agents got out of their vehicle and went inside. It looked like any other typical medical office, there were chairs in the waiting room for patients, several magazines and some newspaper. Hotch and Reid walked up to the front desk.

"Hi, appointment for Spencer Reid?" The Unit Chief asked.

"Oh, yes!" The female receptionist exclaimed. "Dr. Aled should be right with you." The two were about to sit down when an aged, yet friendly-looking man stepped into the waiting room. His gray hair was well groomed, he wore a white coat, with a shirt and tie underneath.

"Spencer Reid?" He called.

"Yes." Reid responded. "Isn't it still early?" He noticed a clock on the wall read 8:49 AM.

"Oh, nonsense!" The man laughed. "Come on back." He gestured for the young doctor to follow, Hotch wasn't far behind. They soon found themselves in a large room, a huge window on the other side across from the door allowed in plenty of light, to the left was a sofa and a nearby chair. Additional chairs on the other side of the couch. To the right was a desk littered with papers, a framed photo, a name plate, and a lamp.

"You may either sit or lie down on the sofa, Dr. Reid." Cesar offered.

"Thank you." Spencer said, he sat down, Aaron taking a seat next to him.

"So," Aled started as he sat down on the chair, clipboard in hand. "I've heard that you've been having some problems, most particularly at night."

"Y-yes." Reid confirmed. "I've been having these bad dreams."

"And how often do these occur, like in a week?"

"Three to five, I think."

"What are they about?"

"My father."

Cesar frowned a little. "I see, and what is he doing?" The young genius tensed, Hotch noticed and gently rubbed his shoulder.

"He's... doing things."

The therapist nodded. "What kind of things?" He pushed.

Reid swallowed. "Attacking me, or sometimes beating me up."

"What would you say is the general severity of the dreams?"

"It's a little hard to determine," He admitted. "Sometimes they're semi tolerable, other times, well, they're pretty bad."

"Dr. Reid?" Aled asked. "Have you, urm," He hesitated. "Did your father ever abuse you as a child?"

"Um, no, not that I remember of, I don't think." He replied. Aaron silently breathed a sigh in relief, but was that actually true though? He knew Reid had a strong memory, but it's not like he could remember everything, such as when he saw his father burning clothes when he was younger, which he could only vaguely recall.

Some time had passed, it was then that Cesar asked Spencer if it was okay that he spoke with his boss privately for a moment. He obliged and the two older men walked over to the other side of the room, out of earshot.

"What do you purpose Spencer does about the dreams?, doctor?" Hotch asked.

"Well, with chronic nightmares such as these, I do believe that having him talk about them helped significantly, but I would recommend a special medication that he takes every so often, at least until the bad dreams no longer persist." He explained.

The Unit Chief felt a little uneasy about Spencer taking medication, and he wondered if he would likely feel the same way, but if Dr. Aled was positive that it would help, then...

* * *

After leaving the office and picking up Reid's prescription, Hotch treated the younger man to lunch, then they went home. At this point, Spencer was still examining the bottle of pills, he never has liked taking medication, but as long as it would actually help, that is, _if_ it helps, he was willing to take it.

"Eventually, you're going to bore holes in the bottle." Aaron joked. Spencer rolled his eyes, but he noticeably blushed.

"Wanna watch TV?" The BAU leader suggested.

"Sure." The young profiler replied.

"Maybe that one show is on again." He said as he picked up the remote and turned it on, then began to flip through the channels. "By the way, what was it called again?"

"Oh, it was called Criminal Mi-" Before he could finish, everything powered by electricity, including the lights and TV suddenly turned off without warning. Despite it still being daylight, and the fact that the weather was calm.

Growling slightly in frustration, the older man got up from the couch. "I'll go check the fuse box."


	13. Spencer Socks

"Just let us know if you see anything suspicious."

"We will, thank you." Hotch watched the officer return to his car and drive away, probably to the next house. From what he just learned, a group of prankster teens have been roaming the area, firing nail guns at the tires of vehicles left outside, cutting power lines, and even TPing a house. Aaron exhaled, shaking his head at the thought of his home being covered in toilet paper. He shut the door and went to finish cleaning up from breakfast, as he did so, his mind fell onto Reid.

The young doctor claimed to have had what was probably the best sleep he'd gotten in a long time, no nightmares, no images of his father haunting him, a completely undisturbed sleep. A well deserved one at that. Hotch was glad to say the least that his youngest finally got some peace, that medication Dr. Aled had prescribed definitely worked a charm. Cesar had even called once to check up on Spencer, he was pleased to know that he was making progress, as the bad dreams had become fewer and farther in between, then most recently, eventually ceased altogether.

Although any further issues with William seemed to be no more, the BAU leader still couldn't shove away that nagging feeling that Reid had been abused when he was younger, but he wasn't about to question him about it now, not while he's finally over his nightmares. He didn't want to trigger something and cause a relapse, that was last thing he wanted to happen to the younger man. Speaking of him, he'd already headed to work, and since Jack needed a ride to school and Jessica was sick, Hotch himself would drive his son there.

Just then, footsteps came bounding down the stairs, Hotch turned to see his son, his first son that is, fully dressed with a loaded backpack.

"Ready to go, buddy?" He asked, the boy smiled and nodded.

"Yep!"

"Okay." Aaron went to grab his keys. "Now, let's head-" He paused when he noticed something rather odd, he eyed Jack up and down, t-shirt, jacket, khaki pants, tennis shoes... mismatched socks? On his right foot was a blue and green striped one, the left donned a white sock with horseshoes. Raising an eyebrow, he knelt down to face the child, gesturing to his feet.

"Jack, you do realize that your socks don't match, right?"

"Uh-huh!"

"So, why are you wearing mismatches?"

"Um," The boy seemed to ponder. To be honest, he was hoping his father wouldn't notice his choice of footwear, or maybe that his pants and shoes would have hidden them well enough. But his daddy was a profiler, so it probably would not have gone unseen by the Unit Chief anyway.

Sensing impatience growing in Hotch's eyes, he finally answered; "They're called 'Spencer Socks'!"

"Spencer Socks?" The FBI agent repeated, cocking an eyebrow once more. "What do your mismatched socks have to do with Spencer?"

"He wears them all the time." Jack said.

"Jack, I don't think he does." Aaron tried to explain.

"But it's true." The boy argued. "Just ask him!"

Hotch sighed, he wasn't sure if Jack was making up a story just to wear his socks in a silly and unorganized fashion, or if he was actually telling the truth. He was also reluctant to allow his son to go anywhere at all with his feet like that, but he decided he would let the matter drop just for today, that is until he spoke with Reid about it.

After making a mental note to talk with the younger profiler once he arrived at work, he and Jack hopped into his newly fixed truck and drove to his son's school. Dropping him off, Jack waved goodbye before dashing inside the building, Aaron watched until he was out of sight before heading to the BAU.

_Does Reid wear mismatched socks?_ He thought. But most importantly, why would he? Spencer has always one who was tidy, and even if the slightest thing was moved out of place, he would put it back exactly where it was. Hotch had only seen his apartment one time, besides all the dust that covered everything from him not being there, it was uncluttered and semi clean. Even the mounds of paperwork or case files he had were neatly sorted out, just like his desk at work. That's why it surprised Hotch to think that Reid of all people would actually wear socks that don't match, but his biggest question was why? The entire time he knew the young genius, he never paid attention to his feet, and considering he was a profiler, how did he not notice before? Since when did Spencer start wearing odd socks? He was partially hoping he would get answers by the time he got there and spoke with the youngest of his team.

The FBI Headquarters was approaching, Hotch wasn't quite sure on how he would ask Reid about his socks. Sure, he's been more open and less shy in recent times, but some things still had a tendency to be personal, which was respectable, but really now, how secretive does one have to be about the reason why they wore mismatched socks? It wouldn't hurt to ask, he figured, and despite his efforts, his curiosity was getting the better of him. Regardless of the reason, whatever it was, he wasn't about to admit how cute it was that Jack is copying Spencer.

Entering the garage, he eased his red pickup into a spot and got out, locking the door. Heading for the elevators, he stepped inside and pressed the button for the sixth floor where the BAU resided. When the doors opened, he made a beeline for the bullpen, more specifically, Spencer Reid's desk. The young agent, along with Prentiss and Morgan, were seated down, Aaron wasn't surprised to see that Spencer had the biggest pile of paperwork out of the three of them.

"Reid, is it alright if I ask you something?" Hotch spoke, catching the attention of all three profilers who were present.

"Sure, Hotch, anything." Spencer stopped what he was doing and spun around to face his boss.

"Why do you wear mismatched socks?"

Reid's cheerful closed-lip smile changed into a small frown, he wasn't expecting that sort of question, in fact, since he's worked at the BAU, nobody had ever said anything about his footwear, then again, nobody bothered asking for a reason before, thus they didn't know why. But since he's mainly kept it to himself for so long, perhaps he should at least tell Hotch, even though two of his colleagues were here also, but he didn't want to raise any sort of suspicion by asking them to leave. Sighing, he cleared his throat.

"When I was little, my grandmother had told me that wearing socks that don't match brings good luck." He explained, his voice was small. After he finished, his teammates found it a little ironic, considering what's all happened to Reid since he joined the FBI. Kidnapped, held hostage twice, beaten, drugged, tortured, poisoned with anthrax, shot in the leg, the list was almost endless. However, he had survived all of that, so maybe there was some logic behind mismatched socks. Then again, maybe not, as Hotch, Morgan, and Prentiss have all worn matching socks their whole lives from as far as they could remember.

"Really?" Emily grinned.

"Wow, kid, I never would have imagined you being superstitious." Morgan snickered.

"I'm not! ...At least not usually." He mumbled, gazing at the floor.

"Reid, did you tell Jack that?" Aaron asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Um, no, why?"

Hotch now wondered if he should even tell him about Jack and his 'Spencer Socks', even though he would find out himself eventually. It'd be only fair to, after all, Reid did just tell him and two of his friends why he wears mismatched socks to begin with.

"Well, Jack's starting to wear them now. He calls them 'Spencer Socks'" He said, though he failed to hide the slight hint of amusement in his voice. He departed to his office, leaving a partly confused Reid behind with his chuckling co-workers.


	14. A Day at the Park

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a homophobic scene here.

Birds chirped happily as they flew through the cloudy, yet calm afternoon over a park. A young couple sat on a bench, their faces noticeably close to one another's, An aged man with a younger child laid a blanket down on the grass along with a basket full of food. And last but not least, two FBI agents and a small boy just entered the area.

Hotch decided that a good way to spend their weekend off would be to go to the park since there was no rain in the forecast, and it was better than doing nothing indoors. Besides, both Spencer and Jack were getting a little stir-crazy, so it seemed like a good idea to allow them to burn off some energy. Around the park were stations and carts with food, some games, and balloons, few kids were attempting to fly kites, though the lack of wind made it nearly impossible.

Aaron watched as Jack tugged on Reid and asked him to take him to the game stands. Spencer made sure the boy got permission from his father first before they took off, or more like raced each other. The Unit Chief couldn't help but smile, seeing his son and the youngest of his team bond like this was just so heartwarming, it was clear that Reid was almost like an older brother to Jack, especially after the young doctor had allegedly helped 'take care' of a bully at his elementary school. Hotch still wasn't sure on exactly what happened that day, but part of him felt it was for the better.

Seeing Spencer so happy too, now that his nightmares were over with, well, about his father anyway. Dreams about cases still happened now and again, but everyone on the team knew that Reid wasn't alone in that department. It was almost like as if bad dreams were a part of the job they do, but what else would they expect? They're only human.

Some meters away, his two boys were at one of the games, trying to throw a ball at the stack of pins to win a prize. Even though they weren't proving very successful, they were still laughing and having a good time, enjoying themselves. Hotch was figuring Reid would be broke by the time they went home, but eventually they won it finally, Jack did anyway. The two came bounding back to the BAU leader, Jack had a stuffed horse wrapped in his arms.

"Daddy, look what me and Spencer got!" The boy exclaimed, holding up his newly won prize for his father to see.

"That's cool, Jack." Hotch nodded, briefly examining the toy. He then looked up at Reid with slight concern. "How much did that cost you, Spencer?"

"Only a few dollars." The young agent shrugged. "Though it was 25 cents a turn." He mumbled sheepishly.

Aaron chuckled, causing him to blush. "It's okay, Reid." He patted him on the shoulder to try and ease his mild discomfort.

The sky started to clear and allow sunshine to peek through the dissipating clouds. Jack went to go play on the gym after handing his horse to Hotch and Spencer, who sat on a bench close by so that they could still keep an eye on him.

"It's starting to become a nice day." Reid observed.

"It is." Aaron agreed, placing his son's toy to his right. As Jack played, he glanced over at the younger man sitting next to him. Spencer sat with his arms pressed against his sides and his hands clasped together. He fidgeted and looked around in a carefree manner, an occasional small breeze blew curly brown strands in it's direction. He still looked as young and innocent as ever.

To think that he can still appear that way despite what he's been through his whole life was rather amazing. But, he did have the support of the whole BAU team, and it made Hotch wonder what he would've turned out to be had the FBI never become a part of his life, had Gideon never approached him that faithful day.

Would he have landed a job working as a rocket scientist somewhere, maybe trying to figure out a cure for cancer perhaps? Or would his rough childhood done something to him that nobody wanted to think about? It was hard to imagine that Reid could've very well ended up like the people they chase down for a living, and yet he didn't. It was as if fate itself took pity on him and ensured his paths crossed with Jason, which lead to him becoming a member of the BAU, opposed to some psycho, driven by their awful experiences growing up, fueling their need to harm or kill.

But Spencer didn't become an unsub, he was a genius, the youngest to join the FBI, and was indeed a good profiler. He was kind, caring, and considerate, he would never hurt anybody he didn't have to, and it was difficult to think that anyone would want to do anything bad to him, especially if that person was their own birth father.

Hotch tried, he honestly did, desperately even, but he just couldn't shove the idea of Reid possibly being abused as a child, obviously by the hands of William. The thought lingered in the back of his mind, just prominent enough that he couldn't forget it no matter how much he tried. But his question was why? What would cause the man to hurt his child, his only child at that? Was he stressed out over his sick wife, did he drink often, just suddenly decide to take it out on Spencer? But during his appointment with Dr. Aled, he'd been asked, quite reluctantly if he ever had been abused, and he answered 'no', that and his nightmares have finally stopped, Aaron wasn't sure when he should ask Spencer, or if he even should at all, though he felt the idea would never leave his head if he didn't at some point.

If the young doctor had indeed been abused, Hotch wanted to make sure William suffered for it, even despite how long ago it happened, they had already added child abandonment, so what would be the problem of including child abuse?

Patience. That's all he needed. Some day the time will come and he'll be able to safely ask Spencer, but would he tell him? Reid always had trust issues in the past, especially regarding personal matters, but he's gotten over them significantly in recent times. It's not like William can hurt him anymore if he told on him, the man was already in prison where he belonged. Of all the people Reid knew, Morgan is probably the one he trusts the most since Gideon's departure, and Hotch knew that he himself was likely a close second, after all, the young man did open up to Derek about nightmares once before, but would a topic about his father being a possible child abuser be too personal? Reid had made it clear before that he saw the team as a family, and Aaron as more of a father to him than William could ever be, maybe Spencer would be willing to talk at some point. Not right now, but some time down the road for sure.

Reid looked over at the BAU leader, he could tell that the older man was deep in thought about something, though he wasn't sure quite what, and he wasn't about to ask either. Aaron noticed Spencer and stopped. He flashed a ghost of a smile and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, pulling him closer. Even though they were in public, the younger agent couldn't resist resting his head on his boss' shoulder, the top of his head against Hotch's neck. The Unit Chief looked off in the distance briefly to see Jack still playing, then he gazed down at Reid, his eyes were closed in relaxation while he sighed with content. The sight was so heartwarming, he couldn't even explain. He also couldn't bare the thought of taking away any peace he finally has by asking him that one question he was afraid to find out the answer to.

He shook his head, no, he wasn't going to think about that right now, he was going to enjoy a day at the park with his two boys. He watched Jack run over to a drinking fountain for a moment before returning to the jungle gym, Spencer nestled further into him, a happy smile on his face. Aaron felt the edge of his lips slowly but surely turn upward more and more, knowing that he's providing Reid with something the younger profiler probably would have never gotten to experience in his life was rewarding at the very least.

Someone was coming their way, a woman. Hotch couldn't tell if she was approaching them or just passing by like that man and his dog did a couple minutes ago. She slowed to a stop once she reached them, her expressions were a little suspicious, Spencer shot up from his comfy position resting against Aaron after he realized an unfamiliar presence, Hotch went into profiler mode, unsure of what this woman wanted.

"Can I help you, ma'am?" He asked, his voice calm.

"Are you two together?" She asked, her arms folded. Reid was confused.

"Excuse me?" Hotch cocked an eyebrow.

"Are you two... in some sort of relationship?" She glared at Spencer, who still had Aaron's arm around him. The younger man swallowed and shrunk back. Hotch countered with a stern glare of his own.

"If you're implying that we're a couple, no, we are not. Are we in a relationship? Yes."

"I knew it." She muttered. "Just so you know, I don't like your kind of people-"

"This is my son, Spencer." He cut her off, surprising both Reid and the woman.

"Your... son?" Her eyes widened.

"Yes." Aaron replied. "And if you have a problem with me openly showing my love for him, I suggest you leave us be."

The woman stuttered, her eyes the size of dinner plates, her blushing cheeks nearly put Spencer's to shame. "I'm-I'm sorry, I just, I'm going to..." She took off in a mad dash. Reid was shocked to say the least, but Hotch barely seemed at all fazed.

"Can you believe that woman?" He turned to the gaping young genius next to him.

"I, ah..." Spencer stammered, he was at a loss for words. After a moment, he cleared his throat and asked "Did you really mean that?"

"Of course." Aaron smiled genuinely. Reid returned the smile and sniffled, he leaned back against his superior before Hotch wiped a stray tear off of his youngest's face.

"Thank you, dad." He said softly.

"You're welco-" His phone rang and he cursed, knowing very well who it was and why they were calling. After answering the call and eventually hanging up, he and Spencer got up from the bench to gather Jack so they could go home and get ready for another case, he would also need to inform Jessica too.

Before they went home though, Aaron Hotchner and his two sons stopped for ice cream.


	15. Bad Ideas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some cursing/swearing and implied/referenced past child molestation.

Spencer groaned tiredly as he slowly sat up from bed. For some strange reason, he didn't sleep that well last night, it was the first nightmare-free lack of sleep night he's had since... well, he can't quite place when it last happened at the moment, his head was aching from the mere five hours he managed to get. He was glad that it was Saturday, but that doesn't mean a case couldn't pop up at anytime. He really hoped they would truly have a day off, at least for today.

 _Please JJ, don't receive any cases today._ He thought as he squinted his sensitive eyes at the bright morning sunlight before turning away from the assault coming through the window. It wasn't very often that he didn't get a good night's sleep and have it be where a bad dream was not the cause. He stifled a yawn and trudged toward the bathroom, there he splashed cold water on his face, which effectively increased his senses, but he was still tired. He honestly felt like going and lying back down in bed, even after his mini 'cold shower'. He really couldn't remember the last time this happened, either he was too tired to, or it never actually has. Either way, to lie in bed until maybe noon was sounding very tempting. Both Hotch's and Jack's bedroom doors were closed and downstairs appeared to be quiet, so going back to bed wouldn't hurt. After using the bathroom, Spencer shuffled back to his room and slid back under the covers of his cozy bed, he sighed as he pulled the blankets up closer to his chin, rested his head on the pillow and shut his eyes. His headache had already relieved some after doing this, it was right then and there that he knew a little extra sleep will do him good.

Soon he felt relaxed as he slowly drifted off back to some much needed sleep. He caught a glance at his alarm clock beforehand, it read 7:58 AM. He yawned once more and snuggled deeper into the covers.

Suddenly, a blur dashed through the doorway and came bounding onto his bed and began jumping up and down.

"Wake up, Spencer!" Jack shouted happily. "It's Saturday! Wake up!"

Reid's crusty eyes snapped open, he was sure that if he looked in the mirror, they would be bloodshot. His headache was present once again, he covered his mouth and yawned before he fisted his eyes, ridding them of their crustiness.

"Jack, can I sleep for just a little while longer?" Spencer asked softly, he felt his eyelids start to get heavy.

"But you said we would surprise daddy with breakfast since he always makes it for us." The boy argued, he seized his jumping and hung his arms by his sides.

The young doctor swallowed and held back a whimper, his eidetic memory had let that slip from his mind. So much for catching up on sleep he supposed, he sighed and removed the warm covers before sliding off of bed and standing up. Jack grinned and leaped off the bed and onto the floor, nearly crashing into a wall.

"Careful, Jack." Reid said. The FBI agent and the child headed downstairs, seeing Hotch's door was still closed as they walked by. Spencer felt envious of the BAU leader at the moment, he really wished he was still sleeping right now. After descending the stairs, they entered the kitchen, the first thing Spencer did was go to the coffeemaker and start a batch of his favorite morning beverage, plus he desperately needed some too.

"Um, what should we make Hot- dad for breakfast, Jack?" He asked, the boy pondered for a moment, rubbing his chin with his finger.

"Scrambled eggs, bacon and hash browns?" Jack suggested.

"Good choice." Spencer begun to pull out a couple of frying pans and place them on the stove. He honestly wasn't much of a cook, but he at least knew how to make things, he was also glad Jack chose something that was fairly easy too. He retrieved a bottle of cooking spray and lathered the two pans, then put the container back. He pulled out a package of bacon and a carton of eggs from the fridge while Jack grabbed a few potatoes from the cabinet. Spencer cracked five eggs and put them on the pan, the yellow yolk danced around as he shook it free from the shell. Jack handed the young genius the potatoes and he sat them on the counter before finding a cheese shredder in a drawer. He started shredding the potatoes when the coffeemaker emitted a sound, indicating it had finished brewing. Spencer stopped what he was doing so he could get a cup for some of the caffeinated drink. He poured some into his mug and quickly retrieved some sugar and dumped a few spoonfuls of the sweet crystals into his coffee. He eagerly took a couple sips before he sat it back down and turned his attention to the eggs.

"Hey, Jack, could you set the table?" Reid asked as he begun to scramble the eggs.

"Yeah!" The child nodded enthusiastically. He ran into the dining room and pulled a chair into the kitchen so that he could reach the plates. He then went and grabbed three forks and went to go put them on the table before coming back and grabbing three cups. He returned once more to put the chair back.

Spencer let the eggs sit for a minute so he could take another sip of his coffee before he resumed shredding potatoes. Once all of the potatoes were finished, he grabbed the second frying pan and pushed the shreddings along the counter top and onto the pan, then he went and sat it on the stove. He stirred the eggs around several times before turning off the burner and grabbing two oven mitts so that he could safely set it on the counter. He began to work on the hash browns next. As he flipped them around, his finger came a little too close to the pan and the hot surface scorched his skin.

"Ow, damn it." He cursed before sticking his pained appendage into his mouth. His eyes widened when he noticed Jack watching him with a shocked expression. "I'm sorry, Jack, please don't repeat that around your father."

The boy nodded in understanding and he waited there while Reid finished the hash browns. He turned off the second burner once they were done and sat the sizzling pan next to the eggs after he placed two more oven mitts beneath it. He then proceeded to open the package of bacon, he grabbed a large plate and sat a paper towel over it, then placed multiple strips of the salty meat on top before putting it in the microwave and giving it the designated cooking time. While that went on, he carried the pan of eggs and shredded fried potatoes to the table, then he went back to the kitchen and pulled out a carton of orange juice and returned to the table.

* * *

Hotch awoke to the smell of food, he had no doubt right then and there that Spencer made breakfast. He smiled fondly and got out of bed, then exited his bedroom. Sure enough, both of his boys' doors were open and their rooms were vacant, he could hear Jack laughing about something downstairs, further confirming his thoughts. He headed down the stairs and saw Reid and Jack at the table, there was a pan of eggs, hash browns, a plate of bacon strips, and a carton of orange, but only Jack's cup had any in it. There were two empty glasses that stood next to two coffee mugs.

"Good morning everybody." Hotch announced, catching their attention. He went and took a seat next to Jack, Spencer sat on the other side of the boy.

"Good morning, daddy!" Jack exclaimed, unaware that Spencer immediately cringed at the loud noise, he was reminded once more of his headache due to the lack of sleep he got last night. He managed to regain his composure before Aaron noticed.

"Good morning, Hotch." He replied softly, he cleared his throat once. The young man waited while Hotch began to serve himself and Jack before handing the food to him so that he could fill his own plate. Before he did, he took another sip of his coffee, hoping that the caffeine and sugar would help with his headache and his tiredness.

They finished their meal and Aaron complimented Spencer on the good job he did, he also thanked him for making breakfast. Reid went to fix himself another cup of coffee while Jack went into the living room to watch cartoons. Hotch retreated back upstairs to a corner of his bedroom that he made his new office, he had some paperwork he'd been meaning to finish up. He noticed a file about a child abuse case they took several months ago, it instantly reminded him of Spencer, as well as his suspicions of William. He sighed, and while it's been a quite some time since Reid's last nightmare about his biological father, he still wasn't sure when he should try and ask him about the possibility of him being abused.

Perhaps he should just try and get it over with, after all, it's just going to further eat him up on the inside the longer he waits, and if Spencer had been abused, Hotch could only guess how he feels. He took a deep breath, mentally preparing himself for whatever may come. He left his bedroom/office, having forgotten the paperwork he was going to do, he had something more important to take care of first.

He went back downstairs, Jack was too engrossed with a Scooby-Doo cartoon, so now may be a good time to try and talk to Reid. The young profiler was sipping his second or third cup of sugar and coffee, Hotch couldn't recall the last time he drank that much. Something's up, maybe he should hold off a discussion until later.

No, it's now or never. He stepped toward Spencer, who barely acknowledged his presence.

"Reid, can I talk to you about something?" He asked. The younger agent noticed the seriousness in his voice and met eyes with him. He was curious on what Aaron wanted to talk about. Then it dawned on him.

"Hotch, I'm sorry I said a bad word in front of Jack, I promise I'll never do it again." Spencer sat his cup down and prepared for any lecture that would come.

"You swore in front of Jack?" Hotch raised an eyebrow.

"Oh," Reid blushed. "I thought you were-"

"I wanted to ask you something, actually." He cut him off.

"I, uh... Okay."

"Now, this may be a little difficult since it involves your f- William," Spencer tensed at the name so Aaron continued. "And I just would like to ask; did he ever abuse you?"

"Dr. Aled asked me that and I told him 'no', you were there, you heard me." His response was almost immediate and automatic.

"Was it the truth?"

"What do you mean?" Spencer's sad eyes had a hint of indignation. "Are you asking if I lied?"

"No, I'm asking if it was the truth." Hotch kept his voice even and calm.

"Yes, of course." The hesitance when he spoke told a different story. They may both be profilers, but Aaron had experience and Reid was a terrible liar.

"Reid, it's okay-"

"No, it's not." His aching head wasn't getting any better, and he was still very tired even after all the caffeine he's consumed. "You don't need to poke into my personal life all the time."

Hotch was slightly taken aback by his youngest, but he hid it well. "Reid, I was just asking-"

"And I told you already what you need to know." Spencer snapped, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Aaron sighed with slight frustration, he understood that Reid was sensitive about personal matters, regardless of what they were about, but he really did _not_ like his current attitude.

"Reid, I don't appreciate your tone you're using." He stated sternly, yet calmly.

"I'm an adult, Hotch, I can talk however I want." Spencer mumbled, looking away from his boss' glare.

"What has gotten in with you today, Spencer?" Aaron folded his arms, the sternness in his voice briefly dissipated.

"You're asking if my father abused me, that's what."

"Did he?"

"Yes— No! No, it didn't, I mean, something like that never, um, you know, didn't ever happen." His cheeks were flushing his trademark blush, and judging by the way he was gazing to his left, he wasn't being very truthful right now, and it hurt Hotch on the inside. Reid knows very well that he can trust him, and that he greatly dislikes being lied to by him, especially to his face, which the younger man was looking at anything but at the moment.

"Spencer, you don't have to be ashamed, I will help you." He said softly, using a hand to hold Reid's chin up so that he was facing him, but his eyes were looking at the floor.

"I can help myself." Reid muttered, removing his face from Hotch's grasp and returning his gaze to the floor. He was so tired, he wanted to just lay down and sleep right in the middle of kitchen. Aaron was shocked to say the least, the last time Spencer acted remotely like this was during the Owen Savage case, but that was because he related to him personally. This, on the other hand was different, though it still involved something personal, Reid was acting defensive when Hotch asked if William abused him, and from the way he stuttered, he figured that the answer was 'yes', but the young man wasn't willing to admit it, even though Aaron already had a good idea about what the answer was.

 _What would Gideon say?_ Hotch thought. Right now Spencer was standing in front of him, refusing to make eye contact. Taking a silent deep breath, he began. "Spencer, I know how you feel-"

"Don't talk to me like a victim." Reid suddenly shot up. Aaron opened his mouth to protest, but he didn't get a chance to speak. "You don't know how I feel, I don't need to be treated like some little kid all the time, I'm 30 years old, damn it! I don't need my hand held for every bad fucking thing that happens to me! I can take care of myself, I don't need everyone I know butting into things that's none of their business!" He reached up and gripped his long curls. "Son of a bitch!" He cursed out loudly, so loud that Hotch thought that it was heard from every crevice in the house, including the next room over where Jack was.

Right then and there, Spencer wished a hole would appear in the ground and just swallow him entirely after realization struck him like a speeding bullet train. The mixture of shock, anger and hurt on Aaron's face only made things that much worse, Reid felt his eyes water, he wasn't sure if he should try to hold back the tears or just let them fall.

"Hotch?" His voice was barely whisper it was so quiet.

"Reid, your room, now." The older man pointed a finger out of the kitchen to where the stairs were, his voice boomed with authority, the now stoic expression on his face made no room for argument. Reid tried desperately to hold back his emotions, but he wasn't very good at doing so.

"I'm so sorry." Was all that he heard before Spencer rushed passed him and up the stairs. Once he was out of sight, he lowered his arm to his side, trying to get over what just happened. His youngest just had an outburst, but why? He was only trying to help him, not hurt him. Was he embarrassed? What could have William done that made Spencer feel that way? Unless...

Aaron swallowed thickly, that can't the reason, can it? No, not in a million years, right? Surely there was a logical explanation, but to be honest, he wouldn't put it past that man to...

He begun to think, Spencer never has been a man to look at girls, unlike Morgan, in fact he was always shy and at times clumsy when around them, like as if he didn't know how to act around females, but should it be the case that William actually had... done something to the youngest of his team, he had to know. Reid needed help, and right now, Hotch wanted to go to the prison where William was being kept at and beat him to a pulp.

Because the BAU leader now believes that William Reid did more than just abuse his only child, and was Diana even aware of it?

 


	16. Horrible Truths

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Recreational drug use and more detailed past child abuse.

Jack jumped at the outburst that emitted from the kitchen, he spun around from his seat on the couch in time to see Spencer rush by and up the stairs. Is Spencer mad about something? It worried the boy and he was about to go to his father for information, but Hotch was already trudging into the living room, a hand over his face.

His daddy looked tired, even though he woke up almost an hour ago, he even slept in a little. Finally, the child couldn't contain his curiosity, so he hopped off the couch to go speak with his exhausted-looking father.

"Daddy, what happened?" He asked, concerned. "Is Spencer okay?"

After the child finished, Aaron's mind immediately fell back to the thoughts he was having a short while ago. To think that William could have actually done the unthinkable to his only son, which might explain Reid's defensive behavior, made Hotch nearly feel sick. Spencer was so innocent, and yet his very own biological father had the guts to... Ugh. The Unit Chief just couldn't get the word out, that one particular word, even though he's very capable of saying it and explaining it as well when it comes to his job, but this wasn't some child he barely knew, it was his youngest, Spencer Reid. Although he knew he shouldn't, he was starting to feel pangs of guilt for his actions on the younger man's attitude, Spencer was probably not only ashamed, but afraid. How could Hotch not have seen it? He was a profiler, and yet he overlooked it. He didn't really want to admit it right now, but Reid is usually fairly easy to profile, but he still managed to slip up. He honestly wouldn't be too surprised if Spencer hated him now.

They needed to talk, even if the young doctor didn't really want to, a talk was desperately needed, for the sake of both of them. He assured his son once that everything will be okay and that he was going to take care of it. Jack nodded and returned to the TV as Hotch begun ascending the stairs, he wasn't surprised to see Spencer's bedroom door closed. He was feeling a little reluctant, but now was not the time to feel uncertain, he needed to be a father for a man who never truly had one, a man who he saw as his own son, someone he loved and cared for. It made Aaron think, what would things be like today had Gideon never found Reid? He shook his head, ensuring that he didn't distract himself as he approached a certain young genius' door.

If only he'd been aware of what was going on inside, he would have moved faster.

* * *

Spencer was certain that he'd cried his eyes completely dry, no longer able to produce another tear. He felt awful, Hotch was only trying to care for him, and he just shoves him back. He couldn't help it though, childhood memories of his father was... something he'd rather forget, but it seemed that he didn't even really need an eidetic memory in order for any of that to remain in his head for probably the rest of his life. He sighed as he sat slouched over on the edge of his bed, thinking about how he ended up here in the first place. Hotch took him in when he was lonely, they spent time together, Aaron taught him what it was like to be the one who was cared for, what it was like to have a father that loves you and would never leave.

 _And this is how you repay him?_ Reid thought bitterly. Hotch has done more than he needed to for him, and he thanks him by that scene in the kitchen. Was this why William and Gideon left? Was there a moment that he oddly can't recall that made them no longer wish to be a part of his life, or for him to be a part of theirs? Did he do something that caused them to hate him? And how is Hotch going to react? Will he finally kick him out, tell him that he's no longer welcome here, force him to find a new home where he shall forever live by his lonesome? Will he no longer wish to be his friend, his surrogate father? Or even worse, leave just like William and Gideon had?

It ached his heart to think that he may have very well been the sole cause of his father's and his former mentor's departures. Was this why he never had friends in high school? He always assumed that because he was a genius, people viewed him as a 'freak', they judged him for what he was, not as a person. Now he was beginning to reconsider.

Just when he thought that he managed to push earlier memories of William in the back of mind, Hotch brings them right out into the open again, Spencer knew the BAU leader meant no harm, he was only trying to look out for him, because that's what fathers do. He never experienced such a feeling as he grew up, so it was kind of foreign to him now that he was an adult and whenever something bad happens, often not one, but six other people are there to let him know he's not alone. When he chose to give it some thought, it felt nice, but thanks to the severe trust issues he'd developed over time, it's hard to accept. Thanks to Aaron though, they've died down a little.

He didn't want to think about what his father did to him, it was far too embarrassing. Sometimes he could almost feel his hands on him still, creepy fingers rubbing around against his smooth, pale skin. He grunted, shaking his head of the image. He just wanted to forget about it, but because of his strong memory, it was impossible.

Then again, maybe there is a way... _No! Do not go down that road again!_ But it would help so much with forgetting, in fact, it was the only accessible method he had right now. He sat there for a moment, weighing down the positives and the negatives. He could do 'it' and forget about these damned memories, or he could show his team, his friends, his family, how weak he really is. He bowed his head, holding his face in his hands and sobbed. He just wanted forget, but he also didn't want to disappoint his team, if that outburst he gave Hotch didn't make him leave or kick him out of the house, what he was considering doing would most certainly do that.

He couldn't take it anymore, he just wanted to forget everything now, the guilt he felt, the horrible memories of William, everything. He got up from bed and shuffled over to his dresser and pulled open a drawer, he dug through the very back at the bottom and pulled out the two items he was seeking. Spencer returned to sitting on his bed, wondering if he should still do this, as much as he really wanted to.

He stared long and hard at the little bottle in his hand, he only had one left, and it was his only physical memory from the Hankel case, as he'd already used the other one up and thrown it away years ago, but afterward, he managed to get help and stay clean ever since.

The idea of upsetting the ones who care about him was hard, he might be being selfish, but none of them probably endured what he did in the hands of their fathers.

But perhaps now would be a good time to break that clean streak, he still had an unused needle and a syringe. He filled it to the top with the liquid, it was all ready and prepared to be injected into his veins, but there were two things he hadn't been counting on at the moment; someone knocking on his door, and the fact that his door didn't have a lock.

"Reid, may I come in?" Hotch's voice spoke from the outside.

Several scenarios ran through the young profiler's mind. Was Hotch about to confirm his fears and kick him out or leave his life and never return? Was he here to demand an explanation for his behavior, or 'talk about it'? Or maybe even continue the subject about his father abusing him? That last thought made him more determined than ever to press down on the plunger so that he can escape reality. Unfortunately, Aaron decided to just open the door whether he got a response or not, he just happened to walk in on his youngest sitting his bed, empty vial next to him, a filled syringe and needle in his hand, his other arm situated with the pointy object jabbed into where a vein likely was/ What startled him more was the cold, blank stare that Spencer had in his face. Seeing his finger more than ready to push the plunger, Hotch knew he had to act fast, not through actions, but with words.

"Reid," He started calmly. "I'm not mad, just put the needle down, and we will simply talk. That is all I ask." He inwardly cringed, he was talking to him like an unsub, but either Spencer didn't notice or he didn't care. His cold expression was softening and his blank eyes returned to their normal beautiful brown color, he could feel the guilt building back up.

"I'm sorry." He spoke, just above a whisper, still in the same position Hotch found him in. "I just want to forget."

"What are you wanting to forget?" The older man asked cautiously as he took a step forward. "Is it about William?"

"I can't tell you." Spencer shook his head, his voice was so quiet that Hotch had to strain in order to hear him.

"Yes, you can, Spencer, you know you can tell me anything, I will not think differently of you no matter what." The Unit Chief continued to edge his way over, slowly, but surely.

"Yes, you will, you guys always do." Spencer turned his gaze down at the needle in his arm, all he had to do was push down and it would be over.

"That's not true, and you know it." Hotch said, his voice a little more stern. "None of us have said a word about your... issue with Dilaudid for years, and have you been treated any differently afterward even since before then?"

"No." Came a soft reply.

"Reid, I'm sorry if I upset you by asking about your father—"

He was cut off when Spencer shot up, silently glaring at him. Hotch wasn't sure what else to do or say at the moment, that is until Reid raised his arm up, showing Aaron the needle he was about to press down on. Realization struck Hotch, and he was fearing the outcome.

"Reid, don't do it." He noticed the tension growing in the younger agent's features, he wanted to just run forward and snatch the needle out of his hand, but he knew he likely wouldn't be quick enough.

"Reid, I promise that we can sort this out, just put down the needle." Hotch raised his voice, hoping to yell some sense into Reid, was he even aware of what he's about to do? "Reid? Reid! Don't..." He trailed off when he saw it was too late, he couldn't believe it.

Spencer pressed down the plunger, the fluids were now flowing through his veins, he took the needle and syringe out of his arm and let it fall carelessly to the floor. He jerked back and forth a few times, trying to stay upright, but at the same time, willing the drug to take control. By the time Aaron reached him, he'd fallen onto his bed, lying on his back, his eyes closed and his mouth hanging open. The last thing he saw was the concerned look on his boss's face before everything went black.

He stared in disbelief at his intoxicated team member. Not only did Reid fail him and his friends, but Hotch failed Reid. Sighing, he sat down on the bed next to Spencer, he would wake up eventually and he wanted to be there when he did. He wasn't sure how long it would take, but he was willing to sit it out. He now regretted asking him about his father, though he already figured the answer to his question, and it gave him even more ideas than he cared to think about.

One of them being that that bastard William may have actually _molested his son._ The thought alone made Hotch's stomach churn. Sweet, young, and innocent Spencer Reid, going through something that no child should ever be put through. He couldn't help but grip the edges of Reid's blankets and squeeze for all it was worth, even when Foyet was alive and killing people, Hotch never felt such hate towards another man like he did with Spencer's father, if only he would just confirm his allegations.

"No... Get away..."

The BAU leader jumped when he heard mumbling, obviously coming from Reid. He stared down at the drug-induced young man. He appeared to be having a nightmare, or worse yet, a flashback.

"Please, leave me alone."

Hotch swallowed thickly, perhaps Reid didn't even need to be conscious to confirm his suspicions.

"Don't... Don't touch me there, stop it..." Spencer whimpered and began to squirm.

William was going to pay, by God, if Hotch had to lose his credibility at the Bureau, William Reid was going to pay.

"Please, don't do this... I'm begging you."

He really wanted to shake him awake, but he wasn't if it would actually work since he was under the effects of a narcotic.

"Dad, don't. H-help, someone... Help me!" Hotch was startled when Reid suddenly sat up, he hadn't been expecting him to get over the drug so quickly. Aaron immediately got off the bed and stood in front of Spencer, gripping his shoulders.

"Reid, look at me, look at me." He urged. His head was down, but his eyes finally snapped open, He saw his team leader, his usual stoic expression was still replaced by that look of worry and concern he saw before he... well, he didn't want to mention that again.

"Hotch?" He asked warily, the effects of a hangover was starting to become prominent.

"I'm here, son." The older profiler assured.

"I'm sorry." Spencer said miserably before looking down at his lap and away from Aaron.

"Reid," Hotch took Spencer's chin and forced their eyes to meet. "Trust me when I say that you have nothing to be sorry for."

"Yes, I do." He shook his head furiously, but Hotch's grip was not lost. "I just broke my promise and took drugs right in front of you, and I... treated you like shit."

"Language, Spencer." Aaron warned. "Though you are right about the drug taking, we'll get back to that." Reid nodded and turned his eyes away again. "The way you behaved after I asked you about your fath- William was understandable." The young doctor looked confused as ever at this, so he continued. "You were afraid, and I didn't see it. And for that, I apologize."

"No, it was my fault, Hotch, I shouldn't have lashed out at you like that." He mumbled, blushing. "You were only trying to help me."

"How about this, it was both of our faults?" Hotch suggested. A ghost of a smile formed on Reid's face. "Now," The older man went and sat next to him on the bed. "Is there anything you'd like to tell me?" When he asked this, Spencer gulped, he knew he needed to get it off his chest at some point, and that point was right now. Plus, he assumed that he said things during his buzz from the Dilaudid that Hotch undoubtedly heard, so there was no avoiding this no matter what.

Spencer took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, Hotch waited patiently, knowing that he was nervous and scared.

"My father," He began shakily, clearing his throat. _"William,_ he, uh... A lot of the times whenever we were alone, he used to take me to either a bedroom, or the bathroom and..." His voice began to crack and he clenched his eyes shut, Aaron instinctively wrapped an arm around his shoulder to provide comfort. The young genius took a moment to calm himself before he continued. "He would, ugh, t-touch me in... places." He sniffled. "I would always call out for help, but we were always alone, every time. He never did anything real... major, he just, touched." Hotch felt a mixture of sadness and anger rush through him as if he'd been injected with a drug himself. He was proud that Reid finally opened up to him, and he was deeply enraged with William, in fact he felt like doing what Morgan often does and punching a wall until he felt better, and it took a surprising amount of willpower not to do so.

"He always threatened me and said that if I ever told anyone, he would... ehm, he would ra... Ra- Oh!" Spencer allowed his emotions to go free as he broke down in harsh sobs. He buried his face in his hands as his whole body shook. "I'm sorry, Hotch! I can't say it, I just can't say it!" Aaron immediately pulled the thinner man on his lap and wrapped his other arm around him protectively, holding him close.

"It's okay, Reid, you don't have to say it, alright?" Hotch soothed, honestly though, he didn't want to hear it either. As a matter of fact, it was the last thing he wanted to hear right now. He could not believe this, even though this is not the first time he heard of such a thing happening to his agents, the other time being Morgan when he was younger and Carl Buford, but Derek was much older than Spencer when it happened to him, more independent and certainly capable of defending himself when absolutely necessary, but in Morgan's defense, he was still a child. Reid was very much more of a child, he may have been a genius, but he was still a new life in the world, and his very own father took advantage of that, only to abandon him and his mother later on. It sickened the Unit Chief, he's dealt with twisted criminals in the past, but this is different because it was personal, or at least it felt personal. The youngest, most innocent member of his team was sexually abused _and_ threatened by his biological father, he made sure they were by themselves so he wouldn't get caught, and to ensure Spencer didn't tattle, he made threats to him.

Hotch snapped out of his thoughts when he realized how wet his shirt had gotten, he decided to disregard it for the time being, he had something he needed to do, that is, once he finished comforting the young man in his arms. Spencer's tears slowly died down, but he was still shaking, Aaron simply rubbed a hand over Reid's surprisingly lean back in circles. Finally, after what seemed like ten minutes, he pulled away, looking guiltily at Hotch's shirt.

"Don't even apologize." The BAU leader smirked, almost playfully, hoping to lighten the mood a little.

"I'm sor-" Spencer managed to stop himself in time when he realized what he was about to say. He found himself giggling a little.

"Good save." Hotch chuckled, wiping a stray tear from the younger profiler's cheek. Seeing that he was cheered up somewhat, Aaron announced that he had a phone call to make, he left Spencer and entered his room/office next door and picked up the phone.

While Hotch was talking to whoever he called, Reid looked down at the empty vial, syringe and used needle on the floor, he picked them up and carried them to the bathroom, then he wordlessly dropped them in the trashcan, he was tempted to flush them down the toilet, but he decided against it, not wanting to find out what it would do to the septic tank. Just then he could hear Aaron talking in an unhappy tone, it made him both concerned and curious, he decided to try and eavesdrop, then almost regretted it when he heard his boss say something that made his blood run cold.

"What do you mean he's out on bail?!"


	17. A Father's Devotion

Aaron hung up the phone and sighed, rubbing his forehead. How on Earth did this happen? William Reid had no access to any assets, meaning that somebody else had bailed him out, but who? Who would waste their money on that man's freedom? He didn't deserve to be free, especially not since after what Hotch learned that he did to his own son.

"Hotch?" A soft voice spoke. The Unit Chief looked up to see Spencer standing at his bedroom/office's doorway, twiddling his fingers. He half assumed that the young man had already heard his conversation on the phone.

"Come in, Reid." He offered.

"Is he really, you know..." Spencer trailed off as he stepped inside.

"Yes, I'm afraid so, judging from I was just told." Hotch said, now resting his head on his hand.

Reid nodded sadly. "How did he get eligible for bail?"

"I honestly have no clue." The Unit Chief grumbled. "But one thing's for sure, whoever said he was is plain stupid." Such words were a little out of character for Hotch, but Spencer didn't think much of it, his surrogate father was upset, and really, he was too. After all that his fat- William did to him, he ends up out of jail and roaming around, free to do whatever he pleases. Who knows where he is right now and what he's doing this very moment.

He was also worried, William had already shown him once what he was capable of, and it made him wonder, was he in danger? Was his team and maybe even their families in danger? Or perhaps his mother? Plus, who even bailed him out? He must have friends that they don't know about.

"Aaron?" Spencer whimpered. "Do you think that William will... try to get revenge on us?"

_I wouldn't put it past him._ The older profiler thought bitterly. "We can't be so sure what he'll do, Reid." He said. He knew what Spencer was getting at though, William has done things from attacking his own son to molesting him as a child, and if he does have some sort of 'acquaintances', who knows what else he could do with the help of other people. He begun to ponder, any of the team's biological families shouldn't really be too threatened, at least not as much as the team itself, especially Reid. His mother, Diana should be safe, those facilities have trained security for out-of-control patients, they could probably handle a man set out on revenge-- that is, if she's even his target. Truthfully, William was a bigger threat to the team than their families, he knew where Reid's apartment was, and it isn't too far from the homes of everyone else, but it's possible that Mr. Reid doesn't know that.

Now that it occurred to Hotch, maybe he should go to the prison where William had been held and see if they could identify whoever paid his bail, and perhaps where they might've headed off to. He wasn't quite sure what good it would do. Now that he was out on bail, he couldn't imagine getting the man thrown back in for a child molestation charge when the event happened so many years ago. It could still happen though, Aaron would just need to be persuasive. The charges of assault of a federal agent and child abandonment were no doubt still on his record, Hotch could use that to his advantage should he ever get a chance to go up against the man in court.

In addition to all that, he had something else he needed to do... Reid and his drug problem. Right now, he felt that support groups weren't really the most effective thing for the young doctor, which only left one other option; Rehabilitation. While the BAU leader didn't like the idea of sending Spencer to a place like drug rehab, he only wanted what's best for him. He would have Garcia look up any places that specialize in law enforcement, to ensure that Reid would be treated fairly and not like some addict junkie.

Not wanting to alert Spencer before he could explain, he pulled out his cell phone and did something he almost never did, he sent Penelope a text message. Hotch hated texting, but he needed to tell Reid about what he has planned first before getting into a conversation with somebody else.

"Reid, have a seat on the bed, please." He said, gesturing to his bed nearby. The younger man was a little confused at first, but he obeyed silently, Aaron sat down next to him, facing him.

"We need to discuss about you taking those drugs." Hotch said in a non-nonsense tone. Spencer gulped and shrunk back, but he relaxed slightly when a comforting arm wrapped around his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Hotch." Reid whispered, staring at the floor. "I know you're probably ashamed of me and you should fire me-"

"I'm not going to fire you." Aaron interrupted. "I just want to talk with you." Spencer instantly eased a lot of tension in his body that he hadn't noticed. "I actually have a proposition, I can't guarantee that you'll like it or not, but I'm having Garcia look up drug rehabilitation centers for law enforcement."

"Y-you told Garcia?" Reid squeaked.

"Spencer, stop for a moment." Hotch gripped his shoulder reassuringly. "You know very well that we're not going to judge you or think of you any differently, we just want to help you get through with this, okay? Will you let us do that?"

Reid pursed his lip, then nodded. The idea of his team, his family, knowing about him willingly taking drugs was beyond embarrassing, but he listened intently to what Hotch said to him, and he knew that the older agent was right. He wasn't used to being the one who was cared for, as it was always the opposite when he was younger. Just because he was a genius didn't mean he wasn't a child, people always overlooked that back then, that's why it felt strange at first when his teammates, the people he works with, treated him like he wasn't in his twenties. Whenever something happens, they're all over him like a kid that tripped and hurt their knee, they show him concern he wasn't used to being treated with while he was growing up, but over the years, he's gotten more adapt to it. In fact, he enjoys it often. Being the one to receive care instead of always having to give it was nice for a change. Sure, being treated like a kid instead of a grown federal agent might seem a little ridiculous, but his team was not one to argue with, no matter if it was Morgan teasing him, Emily ruffling his hair, Garcia showering him with gifts, JJ looking out for him like a mother hen, or Rossi calling him 'kid', it was something he's learned to live with and eventually learned to enjoy.

Hotch acting as his 'father' topped it all, Reid never really knew what it was like to have a real dad, and just when he thought he found one in Gideon, he abandons him and the team, just like William abandoned him and his mother. Hotch would never leave though, Spencer was sure about that. And right now, Aaron was doing what any father would do, looking out for his son. Well, his surrogate son. Even if it meant sending him to drug rehab. Reid was nervous, though he trusted Garcia to find a good place, just like she had when she found that therapist with the silly name. He trusted Hotch's judgment too, if he felt that it was the best thing for Reid, he would comply.

Aaron's phone rang and he picked it up to see who was calling, it was Penelope. Spencer took a deep breath when Hotch answered, he figured the Tech Goddess must've found a place that specializes rehabilitation for those in law enforcement. Reid began to imagine how it would feel being in one, would the people be nice? Surely Garcia wouldn't pick a place that was bad.

The conversation was brief and Hotch ended the call and begun to explain to the young man sitting next to him. "Spencer, Garcia found a rehab facility close by, and they're willing to fill you in today." Reid was a little surprised. "Already?" He asked.

"Yes, that is, if you want to check-in today."

"Sure." He shrugged. "I'd like to get over this as soon as possible." He admitted softly.

Hotch nodded in understanding. "Whenever you're ready, you can pack up some spare clothes and anything you'll need. You'll probably be staying there for a short while."

Spencer soon felt nervous again. The thought of being away from Hotch for however long he would be at the rehab made him uneasy, especially with his biological father running around. What if William tried to attack him again since he would be alone? What if he goes after his mother or his team? He got up from Hotch's bed and went to his own bedroom to get prepared, doing as his 'dad' asked of him and got packed. Aaron, on the other hand, was thinking about how he should proceed after he dropped Spencer off at this place. He would simply go to the prison and ask for- No, _demand_ any identification on who in the hell paid for that bastard's bail. He also wanted to know how William became eligible in the first place, if only they knew what he did to his son back then, they wouldn't have allowed such a stupid thing to occur.

William was just lucky that it wasn't parole he was out on.

The Unit Chief sighed as he began to dial Jessica on his phone. He seriously hoped this place that Garcia found would help the young man he considers a second child. He knew that he should not worry too much, after all though, she did find that therapist who certainly proved helpful, so he should be able to trust the quirky woman's abilities.

Reid later emerged with a suitcase full of clothing and a few toiletries. Hotch nodded approvingly and lead him by the shoulder downstairs. Jack, who had been unaware of the entire situation, turned away from the TV when he heard the two FBI agents appearing, his eyes laid on the suitcase in Spencer's hand and he frowned.

"Daddy, is Spencer moving out?" Jack asked, his eyes glistening.

The two men shared a glance and each held back a chuckle. "No, Jack. Spencer is going away for just as little while so he can get better." Aaron explained to his distraught-looking son. The boy breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed instantly. "Okay!" He grinned, clearly accepting his father's answer.

"Aunt Jessica is coming over, and when she gets here, I'm going to take Spencer to- To... the place that'll make him better." Hotch said, hesitating on his choice of words for a moment. Jack merely nodded in response.

Soon enough, Jessica finally arrived, Hotch made sure to inform her on what was going on before he and Spencer left the house. The two profilers climbed into Aaron's Suburban and began to pull out of the driveway, Jack stood on the front steps, waving at the departing vehicle. "Bye, Spencer! Get better!" He shouted. Reid waved back through the window as they drove off.

Spencer watched as places went by while Hotch drove, Morgan's house, his old apartment, JJ's street, the FBI building, he wondered how long it would be until he saw any of these places again, with the exception of his old place of residence, Hotch said he would be at the rehab for a short while, meaning that it shouldn't be too terribly long. He was also curious on how he would be treated. Since this was a place that is specifically for law enforcement, surely he wouldn't be treated too badly, at least he hoped not.

A large one story building came into view through the trees, Spencer swallowed nervously as they pulled into the parking lot and found a space. Hotch noticed Reid's behavior once they got out and he laid a comforting hand on his bony shoulder. "You're going to be fine. You need to stay strong for us, and yourself." The young genius nodded silently and they entered. The reception area was notably spacious, they walked up to a desk and a woman greeted them.

"How can I help you gentlemen?" She asked.

"S-Spencer Reid, checking in." Reid said anxiously. The woman smiled kindly and pulled out some sheets of paper and glanced through it. "Ah, yes, I was informed ahead of time of your potential arrival. We have a room set up for you and you shall receive a written schedule of the remainder of the day's events." She explained. "Hey, Betty!" She called out to another woman nearby. "Show this nice young man to his quarters, please." Spencer blushed before 'Betty' greeted them and lead the two agents down a hallway. She stopped at a door and unlocked it, revealing a big room with a large window. There was a bed, a TV, a sofa, a small bookshelf with various books, and a writing desk. Pictures of plants and flowers were bolted on the walls, and there was also a bathroom with nothing but a toilet and a sink, and finally, a good sized closet. Spencer assumed the showers were elsewhere.

"I'll leave you to get settled." Betty smiled. "Oh, and sir," She glanced at Hotch. "You may leave whenever you wish."

"Thank you." Aaron nodded and she left. He watched as Reid surveyed what would be his new home for a little while before he sat his suitcase down on the bed and opened it. He assisted the young man in unpacking until the task was completed. Reid put his suitcase in the closet and sat down on the couch.

"What do you think, Spencer?" Hotch asked.

"It's nice." He shrugged. He then looked up at the BAU leader sadly. "I'll miss you and Jack though, and the team too." Aaron walked over and ruffled his long curls affectionately. "Don't worry, if things go smoothly, you won't be here for very long. We'll miss you too, especially Morgan, since he won't be able to pass you his files." He smirked.

Reid laughed. "I wouldn't be surprised if he started giving them to Emily!"

"I'll let you know if he does." Hotch chuckled. "I have something else I need to take care of, I'll be sure to visit you tomorrow as long as a case doesn't come up." He said as he turned to the door. Reid began to feel apprehensive, knowing that he was going to be alone, but he recalled what the older man said earlier. _Be strong._ He took a deep breath and tried to relax his tense body. Hotch was already standing at the open doorway, he turned to face Spencer still on the couch. "See you tomorrow, hopefully. Get better, son."

"Bye... dad." Aaron heard before he smiled fondly and closed the door. Reid looked around the now quiet room, maybe he would watch television, perhaps that one show about those criminal profilers was on again. He moved to sit on the edge of the bed and grabbed the remote control nearby.

He hasn't had a craving since earlier, but it wasn't worth taking the risk. He wanted to get clean and stay clean for good this time, even if it meant staying at a rehab facility for a while. He didn't mind though, he would not let the drugs break him.

Outside, Hotch climbed into his large SUV and sent one last gaze at the building before he got back on the road. He was proud of his team's youngest, he was being very brave and responsible. He hoped that he wouldn't have to stay there for very long. As he drove, he was tempted to try the radio, at least Reid wasn't here to laugh at him when a horrible song came on, he vaguely smiled at the thought of the last time that happened.

Click.

_You tried to make me go to rehab, I said "No, no, no"-_

Hotch shook his head and immediately changed the station.

_No need to complicate it, I'm a simple man. All you got to do is put a drink my hand-_

Click.

_Cheers to the freakin' weekend. Drink to that-_

"What is with all these drinking songs?" Aaron muttered to himself.

_Hey, hey, hey, what's so wrong? With one more drinkin' song-_

He decided that he didn't want to listen to music anymore, he flipped off the radio and mumbled under his breath. He was constantly reminded of Spencer in rehab, even though he wasn't there because of alcohol, it still bothered him. He mentally prepared himself as he approached the prison and pulled into the parking area. He couldn't guarantee that he would get the results he wanted, they might say something like it's none of his business, but they would be wrong there, it _was_ his business. That man molested his agent as a child, and they let him go free. Who knows what he might do to other kids, or what he already has done that nobody was aware of. It sickened him to think about it. He parked his vehicle, got out, and walked toward the building. He flashed his badge at anyone who tried to stop him until he got to where he wanted to be. He approached the desk and got straight to the point.

"I demand to know the identity of the one who paid for William Reid's bail." He spoke in a tone full of authority. The woman at the desk looked surprised as she struggled to find words.

"I'm sorry, sir, that's classified information."

Hotch mustered up one of his best stern glares and pulled out his badge once more. "Mr. Reid molested a child over two decades ago, he was never charged with the crime because it was never reported. With that said, he could be out this very minute doing something of the sort. Now I ask again, who paid for his bail?"

The woman was shocked at what she had just been told, and while she was reluctant to reveal who bailed William out, the thought of a child molester roaming free made her more than willing to help with his re-capture.

"A man named Ian Doyle."


	18. A Father's Scheme

Hotch exited the prison, he went and sat at the driver's seat of his vehicle for a moment before he pulled out his phone and dialed Garcia, he waited as patiently as he possibly could until she answered.

"What can the Supreme Goddess of Everything Technology do for you, boss man?"

"Garcia, I have a favor to ask; I need you to run a check on a man named Ian Doyle." Aaron said as he started the engine.

"Sir?"

"I'll explain when I get there, just start that check for me."

"Okay, Hotch. Another thing, a case just came up, everyone's waiting for you before they begin."

"That's okay, Garcia, tell them they can brief me on the plane."

"But, sir, the case is right here in Quantico."

Hotch raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that? We've never really had a case directly in the town before."

"Positive, sir." Penelope said as she began to type away at her computers.

He sighed. "Okay, tell the team I'll be there in about twenty minutes."

"Of course. Oh, and I have one question."

"Yes?"

"How was Reid before you left him?"

"I think he will be fine. Hopefully he won't be in there for too long."

"We all have our fingers crossed about that." Garcia said. "See you when you get here."

"Alright, bye." Hotch flipped his phone shut and pulled onto the road. He really did hope that Spencer wouldn't be at the rehab very long, and he also hoped that he would be safe, with his father running free and all, and who knows what this Doyle person is like. Were they necessarily dangerous? Just how well did William know Doyle for the man to actually pay for his bail that he never should've been given in the first place? Aaron shook his head, it didn't make sense, and now he's got a case to focus on, but conveniently, it's right in Quantico. Maybe he'll still have a chance to visit Spencer tomorrow as long as he and the team aren't too busy.

He eventually reached the FBI building and he pulled into the parking garage. He got out and headed for the elevators, wondering if Garcia found anything yet on Mr. Doyle. He stepped inside the car and pressed the button for the sixth floor and waited as the doors closed. Once he was up to where he needed to be, he headed straight for the conference room. As expected, the team were sitting at the table, minus Reid and Garcia. They were all in a light conversation until their boss arrived.

"Hotch, was Reid okay?" Morgan questioned.

"He was fine." The Unit Chief replied. "Let's get started." He motioned for JJ to start the briefing.

The blonde pressed a button on the remote and the screen showed a man with long brown curls, the team noticed instantly how he looked similar to their youngest, but they pushed that to the back of their minds. He was twenty-nine-year old Chris Matthews, he was nothing but a visiting tourist, but he was found in an alleyway with several stab wounds to the chest.

"A tourist?" Prentiss asked in disbelief. "We, the BAU, were asked to investigate the murder of a tourist?"

"This team has some of the best minds in the nation, and the crime was local, so we're close by." Derek explained.

Rossi pointed out the obvious signs of anger in the killing, and the fact that it was a stabbing, they shouldn't overlook the possibility of it being personal, however, JJ wasn't finished. There was a note left behind, but it read nothing but two letters. "W.R." Hotch froze once realization struck.

"W.R.?" Emily rubbed a finger over her chin. "Isn't that the initials of Reid's father?"

"Could just be a coincidence?" JJ suggested. "Besides, he's in prison."

"Not exactly." Aaron spoke, causing all heads to turn in his direction, a situation that would normally make Spencer uncomfortable. "I found out earlier that Mr. Reid was given bail, and someone paid for it."

"What?" Morgan stared at his leader as if he'd grown a second head.

"H-how did he- Who bailed him out anyway?" Prentiss stammered.

Hotch sighed. "Though I've never heard of him before, I was told that his name is Ian Doyle." Everyone soon had their own unique expression of shock and confusion, except Emily, who had immediately tensed upon hearing the name, but fortunately for her, nobody noticed. "I'm having Garcia look him up already, he obviously has some connection with Mr. Reid to go as far as to pay for his bail." Prentiss felt the air around her become uncomfortably thick, she took a hard swallow and glanced around nervously. As Morgan had said, this team consists of some of the best minds in the country, and that can sometimes be a bad thing when you're surrounded by them and you know things that they shouldn't.

"Wait, so are we saying that Reid's father did this?" Emily asked, trying to get her mind off of her current thoughts.

"Or it could be this Doyle person doing the killing." Rossi pondered.

"'W.R.', Dave? A man with long, curly brown hair? It just seems way too coincidental." Morgan added.

"And this happened after Mr. Reid was released on bail." Aaron grumbled.

"I think William Reid was definitely involved with this, some way or another." JJ said. Everyone nodded in silent agreement.

"Sir?" Everyone shot up to see Penelope standing at the doorway, fidgeting nervously.

"Yes, Garcia?" Hotch acknowledged.

"I regret to inform you that me and my usually superior hacking skills found nothing on Ian Doyle." She trembled. Emily instinctively breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's okay, keep searching though." The BAU leader instructed. Garcia nodded with a 'thank you' and she retreated back to her bubble. "All right," He said. "Let's all head over to the scene and examine it, also interview any potential witnesses. Somebody may have seen something. I think we can all leave right now, as I don't think we'll be needing to pack go-bags." Everyone got up and left the BAU, they all had a good feeling who was responsible for this, but whenever they throw Ian Doyle into the mix, it got a little more puzzling. They hurried as they exited the bullpen, knowing that Strauss would try and stop them from going because of the whole conflict of interest thing, she would deem the case too personal because one of them knows and is related to the possible unsub, even though that particular member isn't here, which is another thing they didn't want the Section Chief to know about. They were relieved once they reached the SUVs without incident, they split up and piled into the two large, black vehicles and drove to the awaiting crime scene.

On their way, Reid became stuck in everyone's minds. They truly felt bad for the young man, so much has happened to him in his life, and he's still putting up with a lot to this day. Having his unwanted biological father return to his life and actually attack him in his own home, well, _former_ home, was a lot to take in. And now the man is out of jail, and Spencer is probably at the rehab worried sick about what he might be up to. Thankfully, he didn't know the team was on a case right now where William was likely the culprit. He's dealing with enough stuff as it is, they didn't need to add to his already huge pile of burdens. Knowing Reid, he's probably belittling himself, feeling weak because of his respawned problem and the fact that his team knows about it. They hoped otherwise though, he's still very young, and they would never think cruelly of him, that was the last thing someone as innocent as him ever deserved.

He was their family, they care about him. After all, it's about time someone did, and so far, Hotch has been doing the best job out of all of them, not that they minded, just as long as their Spencer was getting the love of a father that had been so wrongfully taken from him twice already.

They arrived at the scene and got themselves into profiler mode, Hotch assigned everyone a task and they all got to work. The CSIs found a couple strands of hair along with some skin particles under the victim's nails, meaning that he fought back, or tried to. The evidence was sent to a lab to be examined so they could determine who it belonged to, the BAU had a good feeling who the unsub was, considering that note that read 'W.R.', which obviously stood for 'William Reid'. It all added up.

The DNA came back and sure enough, it belonged to Dr. Reid's father, the team wasn't surprised in the least however. Now all they had left was to find the man, and they still didn't know whether this Ian Doyle was a threat or not.

Well, with the exception of one.

But where might Mr. Reid be hiding out at? This crime just happened some time ago, so he couldn't have gone far. Unless Doyle had a place where he was staying at, they just didn't know. Morgan decided to call Garcia and see if she could find any homes or apartments under William's name, or even Doyle's names, no such luck.

They were at a stand still, they knew who the unsub was, Doyle didn't appear to be an actual accomplice of any kind, at least not within the tourist's murder. All Ian did was pay for William's bail, which wasn't technically a crime, so they didn't have any excuse to bring him in. They also didn't know how to contact him in any way either. For now, they could take any focus they had off of Mr. Doyle and keep it solely on William and finding him. But since they had nothing to go off on where he might have gone to, Hotch spoke with an officer to set up roadblocks within Quantico's limits. Mr. Reid was _not_ going to leave the town.

The day went by with no other leads. Knowing that all they could do now is wait, everyone went home for the night.

Hotch entered his home to see Jack and Jessica eating pizza at the table. His biological son jumped off his chair and hugged him tightly.

"Hi daddy." He greeted.

"Hi buddy." Aaron patted the boy's head.

"You're home a little early." Jessica speculated. "I thought you were on a case."

"We are, it's local." Hotch explained. Jessica noticed his somber expression overlapping his usual stoic one. She told Jack to go wash up so they could have ice cream in a few minutes, the child eagerly obeyed and ran into the bathroom.

"What's wrong, Aaron?" She asked once she was certain Jack was out of earshot. Anything involved with a case wasn't really any of her business, but to see Hotch looking like that meant that it's something bad, and perhaps talking about it will help.

The BAU leader sighed, willing to comply with her question. " Dr. Reid, you know, Spencer, the agent of mine who lives here?"

"Yes?" She tensed, fearing the worst.

"His father's the unsub, or unknow-"

"Unknown subject, I know." Jessica finished. "His father?" She gaped. Hotch nodded. "He was the man that attacked you and him several months ago, wasn't he?"

"He is." Aaron confirmed.

"Well, I hope you find him."

_Me too._ He thought. "Thank you, Jessica, we're doing what we can."

Tomorrow was Sunday, but the case wasn't finished yet, Hotch offered Jessica to stay the night so she wouldn't have to get up early tomorrow, which she accepted. He suggested that she sleep in Reid's bedroom, since he wouldn't mind, and he wasn't even here, but she chose to take the couch.

Hotch grabbed his phone and dialed the rehab center's number, he hoped he wasn't calling after closing hours, but a receptionist answered. He requested to speak with Spencer, she put Aaron's call on the line that lead to the young doctor's quarters, Hotch waited until he heard a familiar voice on the other side.

"Hello?"

"Reid, how're you doing?"

"Oh, hey, Hotch. I'm doing great, I think."

"Good." He said. "The team and I are on a case right now, but it's right in Qunatico, so I should still find time to visit then. Maybe I could bring the others if you'd like."

"I'd like that a lot." Came a soft reply.

"I also called to tell you goodnight." Hotch admitted, he could almost see Spencer smiling on the opposite end of the line.

"Thank you, dad. Goodnight, and see you and hopefully the rest of the team tomorrow."

Aaron smiled. "Sleep well, son."

* * *

William sat at the parking lot of his son's old apartment complex inside the vehicle he'd stolen, a pickup truck with a loaded horse trailer attached. At first it seemed like a good idea because nobody would be too suspicious of a truck and trailer, but had he known that the trailer was filled with a bunch of smelly livestock, he would've looked for another form of transportation to steal. Too late now though, as the owner probably has already called the police about his missing things. No matter to William though, all he had to do was wait for Ian to give him the signal so his plan could set in motion. While he wasn't for certain, he figured that the overgrown brat told his friends about the 'deal' they used to have when he was still around while Spencer was younger, and now that he was out of jail, there's no doubt that they're looking for him this very moment.

He shot over when he heard a siren approaching, a police cruiser whizzed by without stopping though. He sighed and drummed the steering wheel impatiently. The truck jumped slightly as anxious horses in the trailer danced around, William paid no heed to the unintentionally stolen animals, instead he sat there, waiting for the call to come.

It all seemed like a flawless plan, Doyle would 'visit' Spencer at that rehab he was at. William had to admit that he was surprised that his son of all people would end up there. Then, after 'taking' him, Ian would 'tenderize' him a little, just enough so that a hospital would take him in, and then while his team is frantic to find Doyle and their 'kidnapped' agent, William would creep into his son's room and...

A horse neighing in the trailer interrupted his evil thoughts, he growled in annoyance as he flipped on the police scanner he'd also stolen.

In turn for helping him get back at his son, Ian had plans of his own, there was some woman who happens to be friends with Spencer whom he's after. What was her name? Emmy? Laura? Something or other. He shrugged as he listened to the scanner, he smirked when he heard the device talking about the murder of a tourist in Quantico, which the BAU was investigating.

So far, everything was going according to plan.

* * *

Spencer plopped down on the couch, he had just returned from a scheduled group meeting where everyone talked in front of each other, it was similar to the Narcotics Anonymous meetings he used to attend. He was a little surprised by some of the people he met, there was a sheriff's deputy, a state trooper, and even a forensic analyst. He had a good time having a conversation with them after the meeting before they all retreated to their rooms. He was glad when he found out about some of the people here, it made him feel less alone.

He waved a hand in front of his face, his room was feeling stuffy, which he figured were the effects of withdrawal. Not this time though, he was going to beat the drug, he was strong, a genius with an IQ of 187, and an eidetic memory that provided him the ability to read 20,000 words per minute. He would never be broken by some intoxicating liquid.

Using his hand as a makeshift fan was only helping some. He gazed down at the fastened buttons on his black polo shirt. He, quite reluctantly, undid the top two in order to give himself some additional circulation, and this proved more effective. He leaned back on the couch and shut his eyes for a moment. A knocking on his door alerted him and he quickly refastened his shirt's open collar and gave whoever was at the door the permission to enter. It was Betty from yesterday.

"Hello, Dr. Reid." She greeted. "You have a visitor." Spencer lit up after hearing this, even though she said 'visitor', as in singular, not plural, meaning that only Hotch must've come. That was understandable though, the rest of the team must be quite busy with the case he was told they were working on.

A man who he did not recognize entered, he didn't have much hair, but he wasn't that old, he was also shorter than Reid. He wore a dark jacket and sweatpants. Spencer glanced at his watch and frowned, it read 11:09 AM, lunch break at the BAU wasn't for another fifty-one minutes and twelve seconds. So, who was this man?

"I'll give you two some privacy." Betty smiled, she departed the room a little too quickly for Reid's comfort, he didn't get a chance to say anything to her by the time she was closing the door. Spencer and the stranger met eyes before the young genius spoke. "Who are you?"

The man was silent for a moment before he went and moved a chair in front of the door, effectively keeping anyone else out. "That's not important right now." He said. Reid hated the growing feeling of fear build up inside of him, he didn't have his gun or even his cell phone with him. The man who refused to give his name produced a knife and pointed it at the younger man as he stepped closer. "I don't want to kill you." Although Reid was still uncertain, he felt some tension ease in his body, so if this guy who was holding a knife wasn't going to kill him, what did he want? He never took his eyes off of him as he reached in his back pocket and pulled out a long, thin object. It was a plastic cable tie. With his knife still pointed at him, the man ordered. "Get up and turn around."

Spencer's mouth hung open in shock due to his current, unexpected situation. He shook his head, much to the stranger's annoyance. The man charged, Reid tried to dodge as his shirt collar was grabbed, he was pulled toward the assailant, and he pulled back, he was surprised by his own strength and he soon fell backwards suddenly, buttons off his shirt flew in separate directions. The man fell back as well, Spencer recovered while ignoring his now exposed upper chest, as he had bigger problems right now, such as a man with a knife trying to kidnap him.

"Help!" He cried out. "Someone- Mmph!" A hand quickly covered his mouth, he stared wide-eyed at his attacker, the man's eyes blazed and he held the edge of his knife dangerously close.

"You're lucky I don't want to slit your throat." He growled with Reid trembling under his weight. "Do as I say, and turn around, lie on your stomach." He ordered again. Spencer really didn't want to obey, because then the man would have complete control over him, he would be totally helpless, and he didn't want that, but right now, it seemed like he didn't have a choice, at least not one that he would prefer. The stranger, clearly irritated, grabbed Reid by the side and flipped him over on his stomach. Spencer made a weak attempt to get free but the man was stronger than him, physically anyway. He emitted a whimper when his arms were yanked behind him and he felt a plastic strip tighten around his wrists, securing them together. The man left him on the ground for a moment before he grabbed another chair and threw it with all his might at the large window, glass shattered in thousands of pieces, Reid flinched at the loud noise before he was roughly brought to his feet and lead through where the window had originally been and outside towards the parking lot.

"What do you want with me?" Reid demanded as he stumbled and the man helped him regain his balance.

"I know, but I don't have to tell you." He sneered before forcing the young agent into the back seat of a car. He pulled the seat belt out until it stopped once it reached it's length and the locking mechanism was activated, he buckled it then let go and the safety restraint settled over the bound man on the seat. To ensure he was secured, he pulled at it a couple of times, ensuring himself that it would hold his captive firmly in place. It wasn't for his safety, it was mostly to make sure he didn't get away, since he was bound, he wouldn't be able to undo the seatbelt. Even still, while his hands may be tied behind his back, he was told that the 'brat' was a genius, though not very strong.

And that would not be good if the kid managed to escape, their plans would be ruined.

He hopped into the driver's seat and hurried onto the road. Spencer wished Hotch was here to rescue him, as pathetic as it sounded. He didn't want to be in this man's clutches, the only thing that could make it worse would be if he was in William's. He shuddered at the thought, he could only imagine what he would do to him if that was the case. And frankly, he didn't want to think about it.

He shut his eyes and bowed his head, if taking the drugs didn't make him feel weak, _this_ certainly did. Hotch and Morgan would have fought back, maybe not Garcia, but JJ and Emily would, even Rossi at his old age would've defended himself far better than what Spencer did back at the rehab. And what if this stranger who kidnapped him is the one who bailed his father out? What if he's actually taking him to William, bound and helpless? His team probably doesn't even know where he's at right now, and what if they don't in time before something tragic happens? Reid instinctively made a rather weak struggle to break free from his bindings, this only caused the plastic restraint to tighten and dig painfully into his skin. The young doctor sighed in defeat, he was actually glad Hotch and the team wasn't here to see how ridiculous he looked. He wasn't strong, despite what he was always told, he was weak, always has been since high school. They might as well put a picture of him next to the word in a dictionary.

Perhaps his biological father was right all along, _he_ was the weak one.


	19. A Father's Failure

The longer the unidentified man drove, the more Spencer tensed. What was going to happen to him? Was he actually handing him over to his father so he could lay his revenge down upon him? Or was he just going to kill him, even though he said he wasn't going to? The young man sighed, who was he kidding? He wasn't strong, he can't defend himself worth squat. 30 years old and this happens to him, a little too often no less. He was aware that he had a knack for being a danger magnet, he didn't purposefully look for danger, it always came to him uninvited. He hated feeling so weak, having to depend on his team to save him whenever something like this happens. What made it worse is how he felt like such a constant burden to them. He recalled Hotch telling him that he was otherwise to them, but he was beginning to question that now. How many times has Reid ever saved or protected one of them? The most he's ever offered when bad things happened to his teammates was moral support, but has he ever rescued one of them when they've done so for him plenty of times already? It wasn't just a matter of saving someone, it was knowing how strong he was. Sure, there's been a few occasions, such as when he protected a man from an angry father, which was a little ironic now that he thought about it, then there was the anthrax breakout, and the time he used magic to trick the unsub on that train. And not to mention, when he talked Owen Savage down and probably saved the boy's life.

It's not like he hasn't been kidnapped or held hostage before during his career, but none of those times were personal. While Spencer wasn't for certain on what this man had planned, he had a bad feeling it involved that horrible man he calls his biological father. As much as it surprised him, he wished he'd pulled the trigger when William attacked him and Hotch at his apartment, it may or may not have been justified, but he didn't care. That man has hurt him so much in his life, it only seemed fair that he got a bullet sent flying into him. That was all wishful thinking by now, he could only guess what this stranger was going to do with him, and he had a good idea on what it was. He must be some sort of friend of his dad's, or something along those lines.

His thoughts were interrupted when the car slowed as it pulled into a parking lot, Reid noted that it belonged to a hospital. The man slipped into a parking space and got out. Spencer opened his mouth to ask what he was up to, but he stopped himself when he came around to his door and opened it.

"This is gonna hurt." He sneered. The young genius didn't have a chance to react when a fist landed on his face, the action was repeated several times over. With a bloody nose and a broken lip, Reid coughed once. "Please." He begged, unable to defend himself or even get away, but the man didn't respond, he continued his assault until finally, one last solid blow knocked the thin man out of consciousness. The man growled as he messaged his aching fist, the kid was certainly a fighter, but now his and William's plan could proceed. He unbuckled Spencer and used his knife to cut off the plastic cable tie off his wrists. He grunted as he hoisted the young profiler over his shoulder and carried him over to the doors that lead to the emergancy room, he carefully laid him down on the concrete outside the doors before fleeing the scene and hiding behind a corner of the building. He smirked when he heard a sudden commotion and the frantic sounds of people shouting. He peeked over and saw some doctors and nurses working to get Dr. Reid on a gurney so they could wheel him inside.

So far, so good. Now he just had to wait a little while before going inside himself and seeing what the brat's eventual room number will be..

* * *

Hotch held up a framed photo of the current team, his stoic eyes fell onto their youngest, his big, brown eyes, slight wave, and awkward smile combined with his long curls, JJ was to his right, her hands on her hips, Morgan to his left, his muscular arms folded. It was almost lunch break and he could finally go and see Spencer. He partially figured that Reid was waiting anxiously for him to visit. Aaron still needed to inform and ask the others if they wished to join him on visiting Reid. He hoped that the young man was doing okay, it had to be hard on him staying at a rehab, even if it is specialized for law enforcement, Hotch couldn't be more proud of him though. His cell phone rang and he quickly snatched it from his pocket, he recognized the number on the caller ID before he answered. "Hotchner."

"Agent Hotchner, thank goodness you answered!" A female voice responded, she sounded out of breath. "It's Betty, from the rehab facility, you dropped Dr. Reid off here yesterday."

"Yes? Did something happen?" The BAU leader asked, panic on the verge of increasing.

"Spencer went missing after a man came by to visit him."

"What?!" He shouted. "Did you get his name? What did he look like?"

"He just said he was a concerned friend. He was a little above average in height, and he didn't have much hair." She explained. "We finally had a security guard break down the door because a chair was blocking it. The window was broken by another chair, and it looks like fight may have happened. All of Dr. Reid's belongings are still here."

_That doesn't match William's description._ He thought. "I'm on my way," Hotch rose from his seat at his desk and was already heading for his office door. "Do not touch or remove anything until I get there."

"Yes, of course."

Aaron snapped his phone shut and pocketed it. He ran a hand over his short, dark hair, worry was now engulfing him, overriding his annoyance because the rehab staff's stupidity. The youngest of his team, the man who he considers a second son, was in danger, and nobody was there to protect him. He knew Reid sometimes hated being 'treated like a baby' but when his life is actually at risk, that's when opinions like that don't matter. He may be an adult, but physically, he's relatively defenseless, and sadly, people often took advantage of that. Hotch had a bad feeling that whoever took Spencer had to have been this Doyle guy, he should've figured that the man was more involved than originally thought.

Damn that William, damn him to hell. How dare he treat his son so terribly when he was just a child, and continue to do so to this day? Reid deserved a happy life, doing the job he loves, only worrying about himself, William thinks he can just take that away from someone who never hurt a soul in his life that he didn't have to? Not if Hotch had a say in it. He was glad that he could offer Spencer the experience of having a real father, one who cares about you, and now William is trying to ruin it all, Aaron gritted his teeth, he ran different scenarios through his mind, ranging from him flat out shooting the man who claims to be a 'father' to Morgan beating him to a pulp. Each one made him feel slightly better.

He stormed out of his office, not bothering to lock it. Morgan and Prentiss shot up when they saw their fuming boss, they grew anxious as he was about to pass by. "Hotch, what's going on?" Derek asked.

"Reid was kidnapped from the rehab by a man, and it wasn't William." He spoke before resuming his way to the glass doors, becoming oblivious to his two agents that were now following him.

"What? Do they know where they went? Who took him?" Emily asked desperately.

"I don't know, but I have an idea that it was Ian Doyle taking Spencer to his father." The Unit Chief said.

"Wait, shouldn't we tell the others?"

"We don't have time! Call them on their cell phones, we need to get over there, now."

* * *

William held up his disposable cell phone that had started to ring, he answered it and smirked when he heard the voice on the other line. "He's been admitted. I got his room number."

"Excellent." William grinned. After Ian finished filling him in, he started the engine to the stolen truck and pulled out of the parking lot of the apartment complex. The vehicle thudded and jerked from the inertia from the loaded horse trailer behind it. As he drove to the address Doyle gave him, he listened to the scanner on the passenger seat, from what he could tell, an FBI agent was reported missing and believed to have been kidnapped. They gave a vague description that matched Ian, which made he grin, this was almost too good to be true.

It wasn't fair. Why should he be nothing but an average Joe with a job that barely paid his bills and put food on the table? While his stupid son is living a life of glory, saving lives and taking names, being on TV, appearing on newspapers even? He was practically a celebrity and it annoyed William to the core. Yes, he will admit that he's jealous of Spencer's success, especially after what occurred as he grew up. He was a genius and William couldn't stand the thought of his son surpassing him in life. Soon it will be all over, his so-called son, IQ of 187 and all that crap, will be all taken away from him.

* * *

Morgan and Prentiss were gripping their door handles for dear life as Hotch sped down the road. They knew that their boss was worried sick about Spencer, hell, they all were! But Aaron needed to realize that they couldn't help the young genius if they got into a crash. Aaron's eyes blazed as he stared at the road, only until the facility came into view. He swerved into the parking lot and came to a screeching halt, only their seat belts kept their faces from colliding with the dashboard. It was then they noticed a small group of reporters by the front entrance. Hotch jumped out and fought his way through the crowd with his agents not far behind.

"Where the hell did these people come from?" Derek shouted as he shoved a camera out of his face.

"I don't know," Emily said, pushing a young woman aside. "I told JJ, Rossi, and Garcia what happened, maybe JJ told the press about Reid being missing or something?"

Once they got through the hungry people, they rushed inside where Betty, who had called Hotch, was there by the front desk.

"Agent Hotchner, you're here! Dr. Reid's-"

"I know where it is, thank you." He cut her off quickly as he rounded a corner, zoomed down the hall and finally reached the door to Spencer's quarters. He pushed open the door and saw a pair of people, who he assumed were CSIs, scanning the room, he didn't quite understand why they were even here, this was a kidnapping case, not a murder investigation. The team was already for sure on who took their friend. Morgan and Prentiss eventually managed to catch up when they followed their boss inside. Just as Betty had explained, the window was smashed completely, however, very few things looked to be out of place, aside from the two chairs, there was a couple of small buttons on the floor, they looked to have belonged to a shirt maybe. In fact, the scene didn't look all that severe, but the circumstances still were. Reid was gone, and in the hands of a potentially dangerous man, who could very well be handing him to his father on a silver platter. They didn't want to think about what could happen beyond that and they hoped that it wouldn't get that far, but nobody had a clue on where Doyle or William were.

"How could those people be so stupid as to let an unidentified man visit one of their patients at a rehabilitation for _law enforcement?_ " Morgan gaped to nobody in particular.

Aaron sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, he remembered how he felt when Foyet was in his own house with his wife and son, when he heard the fatal gunshot that took Haley's life, and had Jack not understood his clue, the same fate probably would have befallen him. Now that feeling was fresh in his mind, Spencer may not share any relation by blood to him, but ever since Gideon left and when he learned about all the horrors Reid endured in the hands of William, he felt the increased urge to protect him, and he's done that and more for nearly a year. It was around the end of April when it all started, when he found the young genius on the roadside, crying, all because he was lonesome. It ached his heart at the site of him that night, but he hid it well for Spencer's sake. He couldn't imagine how he would've felt had he not seen him and just drove by. Reid needed a father figure, one who would never leave him, who would always be there for him, who would care for him when no one else could, and now Hotch has come to realize, he failed to do that the moment he left him here at the rehab. He wasn't here to protect him from a man who's only intention was to bring pain and suffering to Reid, he isn't able to comfort him and relieve him of any fear he's most likely experiencing this very moment, he almost felt as if he was a poor excuse of a surrogate father. Spencer needs him now more than ever, and here he is just standing here with his thoughts. But what could he do? He didn't know where Spencer was taken, where he is now... Or if he's even still alive.

Hotch swallowed and attempted to blink back the tears that were threatening to come out. _I'm sorry, Reid._

* * *

William pulled the pickup truck and trailer into the hospital parking lot and carelessly parked the large load, hogging several vacant spaces before shutting off the engine and getting out. He went straight for the hospital's ER doors and went inside, there he casually walked up to a nurse at the desk. "Hi, I heard a Dr. Spencer Reid was admitted? He was found beaten or something outside?"

"Who are you?" She asked suspiciously, squinting her eyes at the man.

"Oh, sorry, I'm his father, William Reid."

She nodded slowly, as if she didn't buy his story, which irritated him. "Yes, he's in a room right now, but he is not to receive any visitors of any kind for another hour."

"An hour?" William repeated, keeping his voice soft and concerned. "But he's my son."

"I understand sir, but it's the doctor's orders."

"Can I just see him for a couple minutes?" He asked hopefully.

"I'm sorry, but I can't do that." She shook her head firmly. "However, if you'd like, you could either come back or wait it out in the cafeteria."

William sighed. "Fine, where's the cafeteria?"

"Upstairs, second floor. The elevators are down that hallway." She pointed toward a long corridor. William simply nodded silently and headed in that direction. He wanted nothing more right now then to rush to that brat's room and get rid of him once and for all, he knew the number after all, but he couldn't raise any alarms from the staff and risk his plans being ruined.

His plans could _not_ be ruined.

He didn't worry too much though, those profiler friends of Spencer's are probably way too busy looking for Doyle, and right now he felt that he practically had all the time in the world... too bad his son didn't.

He smirked to himself as he stepped inside the empty elevator car.

* * *

Hotch was feeling helpless, he should be doing something to bring his 'second son' home safely, but there wasn't anything he could do it seemed. Prentiss watched with uncertainty as he sat on the bed, his face buried in his hands. Not once did she recall her boss acting this way, but Reid did have a close spot in Aaron's heart, he cared for the young man like no one ever has before, going as far as to clear out his home office to make a room and give him a permanent place of residence. Only did his biological son Jack top the list for the care that Hotch provided Spencer, but what he got was still something worth noting.

Emily bit her lip, there was no way her team could find out about Doyle, it was almost a miracle that Garcia wasn't able to find anything on him that would draw attention to her. Even then, if she revealed every single secret she had about Ian, they still wouldn't find Reid any sooner. It was frustrating that she knew so much about the man that kidnapped Spencer, and yet, none of it would help them on finding either of them.

Morgan's phone rang and he reached over and pulled it out. The dark-skinned agent sighed before he flipped it open and brought it to his ear. "Yeah, Garcia?" He paused and soon he become noticeably tense, this in turn caused Prentiss to tense up. "What? Are you sure? What's the address?"

Hotch didn't bother looking up, he was already fearing the worst.

"Derek?" Emily asked. He waved her off for a moment. "Okay, we'll meet you over there." He snapped his phone shut. "Hotch, Penelope said that a hospital called her and told that a Dr. Spencer Reid was admitted awhile ago." The BAU leader shot up immediately upon hearing this and he was already on his feet, heading for the door. "Is he okay? Who brought him in?"

"Nobody did, they found him beaten and unconscious in front of the emergency room entrance, but he's alive and stable." Morgan spoke as he and Prentiss followed their leader out to the hallway. Although relieved that Spencer was okay, Hotch's anger boiled, who would want to hurt someone like Reid? He never truly understood it. He was so young and innocent, so many things have happened to him that never should have, ever. The words 'beaten' and 'unconscious' in the same sentence about their youngest member was something none of them liked to hear. Morgan gritted his teeth and balled his fists tightly, he was ready to punch the very next person who talked to him. Emily was compartmentalizing, but inside, she was just as upset as her colleagues. She wanted to murder Doyle, the image of him beating up her younger co-worker made her blood curdle.

"Rossi, JJ, and Garcia are gonna meet us over there." Derek stated as they exited the rehab and got into their SUV. Desperate to get there as soon as possible, Aaron flipped on the siren and floored it.

_Hang in there, Spencer. Your family's coming._

* * *

JJ's heart was racing like the SUV she was driving. Dave and Penelope didn't object to it, they wanted to get there fast too. The blonde bit her lip, she was not going to let that monster harm her Spence, not while they're able to be there to protect him. Tobias Hankel may have gotten a chance before they were able to get to him, but she was not going to allow history to repeat itself. Rossi didn't know Reid quite as long as the others, but he's been around him long enough to grow fond of him, and like everyone else, the need to keep him safe from the horrors life can bring came naturally. Garcia was sure her heart was beating faster than average, she didn't want to think about what her Junior G-man might be going through, she was ready to strangle William with her own bare hands if he ever laid a finger on him.

"There's Hotch, Morgan, and Prentiss." Dave pointed out toward a twin SUV up ahead that sped into the parking lot. JJ pushed down a little more on the gas and followed the other vehicle, she then slowed and brought it to a stop next to the other car. The FBI agents got out and stampeded through the ER entrance and up to the receptionist's desk. The same nurse who met William was there reading a magazine.

"Dr. Spencer Reid? I'm his fath- boss, Aaron Hotchner." The Unit Chief swiftly corrected himself before holding up his badge for the young woman to see.

She sighed with boredom. "Visiting time for Dr. Reid isn't for another fifteen minutes. Doctor's orders."

"Ma'am, we're his family." Derek demanded.

"Great, more family." She muttered quietly, but none of them heard her. "If you'd like, you can sit in the waiting room until then."

"We can't accept that." Hotch argued. "There is a man who could very well be in this building right now, he is a threat to Dr. Reid's life, and we need to be there to protect him."

"Fine, whatever." She rolled her eyes. "This way." She said without passing them a glance, she headed through a set of doors and into a larger area with desks, computers, and employees bustling about. Despite the woman's rude behavior, they weren't going to complain, because at least she was taking them to Spencer's room. She lead them to a more secluded hallway, then she finally stopped at a closed door, there was a window but the blinds prevented anyone from viewing inside. The eager family didn't even bother knocking before they opened it and piled into the room.

There lied Reid on a bed, clad in a blue hospital gown, his face was bruised and his wrists had red marks. He was unconscious, but he was still alive, that was the important thing. Whatever Doyle put him through, and what William had planned... The team was now here and ready, Spencer was safe, there was no way anything bad was going to happen to him as long as his friends, his family was with him. Aaron breathed a sigh of relief as he laid eyes on his second son. He may be hurt, and was probably scared for a while, but he was safe and still among the living, that's what mattered the most to him right now.

"You're gonna have to explain to his doctor about this." The nurse folded her arms.

"So be it." Rossi grumbled. Being the last one in, he shut the door in her face. She scoffed and returned to her post. Hotch and Garcia took the chairs closest to Spencer's bedside while the others stood nearby. The bubbly technical analyst held a pale, skinny hand in her own, Aaron brushed curly strands out of the young man's face, revealing another bruise not seen before. He exhaled, knowing that blaming himself will do no good, as much as he felt the need to.

A soft moan emitted from Reid's closed lips and he stirred slightly, his eyes remained shut, however. Everyone kept their attention on the 30-year old boy as he shook his head on the pillow.

"Help." He mumbled. Prentiss and JJ shared a worried glance.

"Dad, where are you? Please..." He whimpered. Dave was now confused.

"He-help me, dad, don't let them hurt me." Realization struck Hotch and before Garcia could do anything, he sat up and gripped the young genus's shoulders and began to gently shake him awake.

"Reid, you're okay, just wake up."

"No!" He choked out a sob. "Dad, s-save me! Don't let them... No, please!"

"I'm right here," Aaron calmly reassured. "Just wake up, Spencer, and it will all be over. Just open up your eyes."

With a gasp, Spencer sat upright, causing Aaron to step back. His eyelids finally snapped open, his brown eyes filled with fear as he shot around, instantly relaxing at the sight of his teammates surrounding him and most of all...

"Dad?" He asked timidly, facing his boss.

"I'm here, son, it's okay. You're safe." Hotch gripped his right hand and wiped a stray tear off his cheek. Reid breathed and laid back down the pillow.

"You okay, kid?" Morgan questioned worriedly.

"Yeah," He nodded. "I am now." A faint smiled formed on his somewhat beaten face.

"Reid?" Garcia spoke.

"Yes?"

"Do you really call Hotch 'dad'?"

Spencer gulped. "Sometimes, why?" He answered hesitantly.

"Oh, no reason, I just think it's super-duper cute!" She grinned.

"Spencer?" Aaron stared.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry for leaving you at that place, I should've known-"

"No, it's okay, Hotch." The young doctor interrupted. "You didn't know, it's not your fault. Besides, that place was pretty nice up until that man kidnapped me." He chuckled weakly.

"Hotch?" This time JJ spoke up, she pulled away her cell phone from her ear that nobody had noticed her pick up in the first place. "A truck and trailer full of horses was reported stolen by the owner earlier today, some police officers that were driving along noticed that same truck and trailer parked outside the hospital. They talked with an employee who described the man getting out, he fit William Reid's profile."

"When was this?" Aaron asked, the feeling of anxiety growing.

"Around fifty minutes ago."

"That means he's here right now." Rossi stated, slightly panicked.

"Remember that rude nurse out there? She said it was the doctors orders for Reid to not have any visitors until a certain length of time passed. When we got here, she said it was fifteen minutes." Prentiss pointed out.

"William must be waiting it out somewhere in the building, he couldn't go on with anything he might've had planned without raising suspicion from the nurses." JJ said.

"JJ, where are those officers now?" Morgan asked.

"They're out in the ER waiting room, why?"

"I'm going to tell them where Reid's room is, should William actually show up here within the next five minutes, I want to be sure he doesn't get away again." He explained, his voice filled with determination. Before anyone could say anything, he was out the door and shutting it.

"What if he knows we're already here though?" Emily pondered. "He may have already fled."

"Or he could be waiting until there's less of us around." Dave added.

"We're not going to let that happen, right?" Garcia gasped.

"No," Hotch shook his head. "We're all going to be here for Spencer."

"Good, I don't want that man hurting our baby."

"Garcia, I'm not a baby." Reid tried to argue.

"Oh, yes, you are." Penelope smiled. "You're the best, sweetest, cutest one around." Spencer immediately blushed.

The door knob tilted down, they assumed it was probably Morgan coming back, even though it was only barely a minute ago since he left the room. The door opened and the first thing that caught their eyes was a knife in a hand. William entered and closed it, he froze just as the profilers and technical analyst did when their eyes all met.

Before Spencer knew it, four guns were aimed straight at his biological father, and to be honest, he didn't really care.


	20. Where the Sidewalk Ends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A character death occurs here.

Garcia continued gripping Reid's hand, for she felt that if she ever let go, he would somehow disappear. It barely fazed Spencer that his own biological father had four guns aimed right at him, he secretly hoped that someone would just pull the trigger and end it all right now, but he knew deep down that wishing death upon someone was wrong, no matter how evil they were. Accidents could always happen though. William stood there gripping the knife in his hand, he wasn't sure on what to do, if he moved even an inch closer to his son, bullets would be flying, if he chose to turn and run, the very same thing would probably happen.

Hotch stood there as calmly as he could, he was facing the man who he learned had molested his youngest agent, the rest of the team didn't know that yet. He was half tempted to pounce the man and beat him like he did Foyet, but he needed to keep his cool and not snap, it would only result in more problems on his part later.

"William Reid, put down the knife." Rossi ordered.

The poor excuse of a father shook his head and pointed his weapon toward Spencer. "Not until I 'take care' of him."

"You've got to be stupid if you think you're going to do anything with us here." JJ glared.

"Why?" William scoffed. "Because you all think that spoiled overgrown brat over there is your family?"

"Yes, we do." Aaron said. "And you will be asked once more to put the knife down."

William just smirked at the agents, he gave a slight knock to his body, an unnatural sound of his fist hitting into something hard was heard. "Bullet-proof body suit, a friend of mine gave it to me." He said in a cocky fashion, they had a feeling on who he was talking about. The door opened quickly and before he could turn around, the barrel of a gun was pressed against the back of his head.

"Drop the knife you son of a bitch before I blow your brains out." Morgan growled. "That is, if you even have any."

Prentiss suddenly grew a devious grin on her face as she lowered the aim of her firearm toward William's pants. "Or how about your groin?" She emphasized tauntingly. "I could give you a free castration right here, right now. No bullet-proof anything is protecting you down there."

"Or maybe your leg?" Dave suggested changing his aim as well. "That's where your son got shot on a case once, he had to use crutches and a walking cane for a while."

"I bet the hip bone would hurt like hell." JJ added.

"You people are psychos!" William shouted.

"They're not the psychos, you are." Reid spat. "Give it up, William, it's over."

"Spencer, I'm your father, you can't call me by my name." The man tried to argue.

"No, Aaron Hotchner is my father, and I can call you whatever I want."

"We'll see about that." He growled, swiftly lifting up his knife and throwing it just before Morgan tackled him. The clumsy throw didn't even reach near the bed Spencer lay on. Hotch would have pulled the trigger anyway but Derek got in his line of fire. The dark-skinned agent handcuffed William, not bothering to pay attention on how tight he made the restraints. The man could lose all the circulation in his hands for all he cared. "In here." He called outside the room where two officers appeared. He roughly brought William to his feet and literary shoved him into the two cops who barely managed to catch him without falling over themselves. After regaining their balance, one of the officers proceeded to read out the charges.

"William Reid, you are under arrest for the murder of Chris Matthews, child molestation, robbery and grand larceny, horse theft, and the attempted murder of Dr. Spencer Reid." Some of the team raised their eyebrows at what they just heard, but one thing that caught their attention the most was 'child molestation.' Penelope looked over at Spencer, who's gaze was suddenly down at his twiddling fingers, and his cheeks were completely red. Her mouth hung open in horror before she got up and hurried over to William before he was lead away. "Wait!" She called. The cops stopped and obeyed the unexpected command.

"Garcia, what are you-" Morgan tried to object but he was ignored and brushed aside. The flamboyant woman stopped once she and Reid's father were face to face. "You _molested_ my Junior G-man?" She demanded.

"So what if I did?" He shrugged carelessly, having already figured who she was talking about.

Garcia sent him a glare that practically rivaled Hotch's. "I'll tell you what, you sicko." In one swift move, she swung her leg up and her shoe slammed in between William's legs. His eyes widened and he bent forward before emitting a groan and falling to the floor. Satisfied, she huffed and returned to her spot next to Spencer, who was now staring at her with shock, along with everyone else. They watched as the officers were now dragging William across the floor, out of the room and down the hall. JJ went around the bed and approached her, the two blondes then shared a high-five.

"Garcia?" Hotch cocked an eyebrow at the technical analyst.

"Y-yes, sir?" She frowned as she began to feel tense.

A brief smirk appeared on his face. "Nice job."

"Thanks, boss-man!" Penelope grinned.

"Now that I think about it, one of us should head over and interrogate that bastard." Derek said, slowly edging his way to the door.

"Hotch, would you like to go with Morgan?" Rossi asked. "I'm sure Reid will be fine with me and the girls."

The BAU leader shook his head firmly. "No, I'm staying with my son." He looked over at Spencer who cast him a ghost of a smile.

"I'll come with." Prentiss offered, Morgan silently nodded as she got to her feet and followed him out down the hallway. After they disappeared, Garcia suggested they watch TV, she grabbed the corded remote from Reid's side and turned on the television hanging on the wall opposite from them. When the show came on, she gasped and clapped her hands like an excited little schoolgirl.

"I love this show! It's about these people who catch criminal by thinking like them." She explained cheerfully. "My favorite character is that young team member, I always forget his name though."

"Hey, I like this show too, next to Star Trek." Reid said.

"No way!"

"Yeah," He nodded. "I recall it being titled 'Criminal-'" Before he could finish, the program suddenly changed to a news broadcast, Garcia wasn't even able to do so much as pout over the change because she was just as stunned as everyone else at what they saw beyond the 'breaking news' banner on the screen and what the female reporter was saying.

"William Reid, a man recently arrested for several charges including the murder of a tourist in Quantico yesterday and the attempted murder of a federal agent just a little while ago today inside a hospital was shot dead from a single gunshot by an unknown assailant as he was being brought to a cruiser to be taken in for interrogation. The arresting officers called for backup as they and two FBI profilers on the scene had started scanning around the area for the possible culprit. Doctors declared Mr. Reid dead barely a couple minutes ago."

Hotch, Rossi, and JJ had practically jumped to their feet as they rushed out of the room, Penelope stayed by Spencer's side, both were squeezing each others hands.

* * *

Aaron stared down at the man's face, oblivious to the bloody hole in his forehead. The man who molested his son as a child, abandoned him and his mother, attacked him, and even tried to kill him was dead. Although he was puzzled on this sudden turn of events, he was glad that William was truly out of Spencer's life for good, the young agent could finally live with less stress about the world.

He tried not to think about it too much, but he was really stumped on who would kill William, besides everyone on the team that is. Whoever they were, they had to have either been good at hiding or a good aim. The parking lot is fairly open with very little coverage for quite a few meters. He saw the same reporter on the TV in Reid's room still talking to a large camera a man was holding, he glanced back at William's lifeless body and sighed. Morgan and Prentiss soon returned, neither them nor the two officers could find anything. Aaron was slightly disappointed but he nodded and decided to go back to Spencer and Garcia. Rossi and JJ had been watching on the sidelines, seeing that there was nothing they were needed for. They followed the Unit Chief back inside the hospital.

Derek shot Emily a concerned look, she seemed rather pale, and it worried him a little. "You okay, Em?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah, I'm fine." She lied. "Just a little... confused is all."

"Tell me about it." He shook his head. "Well, I'm going back inside before that reporter decides to bug me, you coming?"

"I'll catch up with you in a minute." Prentiss said. Morgan glanced at her again, but it went unnoticed. He headed for the ER entrance, leaving his colleague to herself. Well, mostly herself, not counting the two officers and the news reporter nearby. She studied William's corpse, particularly the bloody hole on his forehead. She knew who killed him, she didn't even need to guess twice who it was. Most importantly, she knew that that fatal bullet was intended for her, not Reid's father.

Still pained from Garcia's attack, the man stumbled and the officers had to work to get him all the way upright, and during that time, a single gunshot rang out. William just happened to trip in the way, the bullet that would have pierced her heart ended up being blocked by William's thick skull. In a way, he unintentionally saved Prentiss' life. She ran a hand through her hair and took a deep breath, since they found nothing or nobody anywhere, Doyle must have fled the scene real quickly before he could be caught. She thought he was one of those awful memories she could actually forget about, but apparently not, and now he knows where to find both her and her team... Hotch and Spencer, who could finally continue with their makeshift surrogate father and son relationship they've developed. Just when they thought William was going to destroy that, another, more dangerous man can easily threaten all that and much more. She knew her team could never know about Ian, at least not yet. They may be some of the best minds in the country, but Doyle is like something they've never dealt with before.

After what just happened, he's probably having to lie low, meaning he won't try anything for awhile, but that also gives him plenty of time to plan something else. Shaking her head, she went back over to Reid's room, hoping that she can resume forgetting about Ian.

* * *

"Damn it!" Doyle threw his sniper rifle at the wall of his secret hideout in anger. He was close, so damn close to getting what he wanted, and that idiot William ruined it. He just had to lose his footing right before he pulled the trigger, causing him to miss his target. Well, miss wasn't the most accurate term, more like blocked, but either way, he failed to get _her._ He only loaded his gun with one bullet, that way it would be special, but no, that dumbass had to screw everything up. Fuming, he plopped down on the couch and flipped on the TV, he rolled his eyes at the news broadcast that came on. From what he could tell, William didn't even kill his son according to what they were saying. Oh well, it didn't matter to Ian whatever the hell the man did with Dr. Reid, all he cared about was getting _her_ but thanks to William, that's going to have to wait. On the other hand, he was actually glad that the bastard's dead now.

He _will_ get her, he _will_ get what he wants. Lauren Reynolds _is_ going to pay. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, maybe not even until a year or so from now, but someday, he _will_ have his revenge.

* * *

Hotch and Reid trudged into their home, the day's events fresh on their minds. Ian Doyle kidnapped Spencer, William tried to murder his own son, the team managed to stop him, only for Mr. Reid to randomly be fatally shot after being arrested. Perhaps that's a mystery they'll never learn the answer to.

"How are you feeling, Reid?" Aaron asked, taking note of the visible bruises on the younger man's face.

"Just hurts a little." He shrugged.

"Not too badly though? You don't need any medicine?"

Spencer shook his head and replied. "No."

"Good."

They barely took another step when they heard the familiar voice of a certain little boy shout. "Daddy!" Holding back a chuckle, Hotch bent down and hugged his biological son. Jack broke away and ran toward the man standing behind him. "You brought Spencer back!" He grinned. Reid crouched and awkwardly lifted the child in his skinny arms, Jack hugged him for dear life. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." Spencer said softly, planting a quick peck on his cheek. When he noticed Hotch watching him with a smirk, he instantly blushed.

"Oh, thank God you two are okay." Jessica approached them. "I just saw on the news about some man who tried to murder an FBI agent at a hospital was shot in the parking lot by an unknown sniper."

Aaron's smirk vanished and he silently gestured to Jack and Spencer nearby. "Let's talk in the other room." He ushered her back into the living room while Jack decided to show Reid the cookies he and his aunt baked today. Once they were alone, he explained in semi full detail about everything that happened. About Reid's abduction, the stand off with William, and the fact that the scumbag was also the one responsible for the tourist's death in Quantico, and finally the sudden bullet that ended it all. Jessica nodded slowly as the information sank in. She didn't know Reid all too well at first, but now that he's lived here, she's seen more of him, and she now understands Hotch's need to protect and care for him just like Jack, especially after what's been going on lately. The kid had been having nightmares about his father after he attacked him, just when that was cured, he gets out of prison and makes another attempt to ruin Spencer's life, only for it to end up costing his own thanks to an unexpected gunman. Jessica had grown more fond of the young genius, he was indeed a nice man, and it stumped her occasionally that he didn't have a woman at the age of 30, but the job he does can be quite demanding, she should know, she helps out Aaron a lot, not that she minds or anything, it's the least she could do for her brother-in-law and nephew as well as her deceased sister.

Jessica said goodbye to everyone and went home. Hotch entered the kitchen to find his two boys laughing and eating cookies. He glanced at his watch and cleared his throat once, making his presence known. "I think we should eat something a little more healthy for dinner than cookies, hm?" He cocked an eyebrow while Jack and Spencer both shot their father a pair of guilty looks. Chuckling, he ended making chicken nuggets and french fries. The three ate their dinner, Aaron and Reid listened as Jack talked about the things he and Aunt Jessica did in the meantime while they were gone. Spencer sat there as he nibbled on a tender, in his mind, he was a little envious of Jack, the boy had a father that would never ever abandon him, who would never hurt him in any way, who would always be there for him in times of need, and while Reid finally had that as well, it didn't change the experience he endured beforehand. He barely considered William to be his dad back then, he most certainly doesn't now. And after that, he was sure that he'd found a father figure in Gideon, the man was responsible for him joining the FBI in the first place, he guided him when he felt lost or unsure about his job, and only a few months after his drug problem, he leaves without so much as a proper goodbye, kind of like William. Even now, his respect for Jason is fairly intact, but he was still hurt that he would just depart like that without warning. They were all profilers, but nobody saw it coming, nobody was aware that the youngest of the team was going to go through abandonment a second time in his life, though none of them knew about William at the time either. That's changed now, he had Hotch as his new father, just like with his own biological son, he would never leave Spencer, he could always be counted when comfort was needed. The only thing that could break that would either be a tragic occurrence on a case or an unsub seeking revenge, but hopefully neither of those scenarios ever happen.

The evening went by and turned  into night, at which point Aaron announced that it was bedtime. Jack emitted a whiny protest, but Hotch was the father of the house, and whatever he says, goes. Reid didn't argue, as he didn't mind being told to go to bed, it only made things feel more real.

How cool would it be if the Unit Chief was his actual father? It seemed strange to think that because he never felt that way around Gideon, then again, William hadn't done then what he had done now, and also, Spencer never got lost on a walk because he was lonely while the former agent was still around. Besides, whoever heard of a 30-year old man being adopted? He still had his mother after all, it was far too ridiculous for words, he had to keep from shaking his head and laughing at such a silly thought. Still though, one could always dream.

While Hotch was tucking Jack into bed, Reid changed into pajamas, as always, a pair of flannel pants and an 'F.B.I.' T-Shirt. He sat on his bed patiently until Aaron entered his room, flipped on his nightlight, then proceeded to tuck him in too. After ensuring his 'second son' was comfortable, Hotch crouched slightly so they were more eye level before he started to stroke his soft curls.

"Hotch?"

"Yes, Spencer?" He replied.

"Um, can I erm, a-ask you something?" Reid's sudden nervous behavior made the older man curious.

"Of course." He ceased his stroking as to not distract his oldest charge.

He swallowed and his jaw quivered slightly as he tried to speak. "M-my dad, I mean, my biological father, well, he's dead, and I should feel bad... But I don't." He paused, as if expecting the BAU leader to respond, which he didn't, so he continued. "What's wrong with me?"

Aaron quickly registered what he heard his youngest agent say and he shook his head quickly. "Reid, nothing's wrong with you, it's not your fault what happened."

"I-I know but, I should feel something now that he's gone, should't I? After all, he did help, you know, 'make' me." Spencer chuckled weakly at the end of his sentence.

"Reid, look at me." Hotch order gently, the young doctor obeyed and his wide, brown eyes met his leader's darker, stoic ones. "William may be half responsible for bringing you into this world, but that does not justify what he did to you. You didn't ask for any of that, he chose to do those things."

He finally nodded slightly and he gazed down at his blankets. "Thank you." He spoke quietly, a small smile forming on his lips.

"Goodnight, Spencer. I love you, son." He said, resuming his stroking of Spencer's hair.

"Goodnight, dad... I love you too." He replied, relaxing with each stroke until his eyes drooped closed. Hotch carefully drew his hand away, plated a quick peck on his cheek then got up to go shut off the light before heading for his own room next door.

It's finally over, Reid's father can no longer haunt him. Well, nightmares may probably come, but as always, Hotch and the team will be there for him, every step of the way. Ian Doyle couldn't be found, but hopefully the man, whoever he is, has flown the coop for good, otherwise, the FBI will be ready to bring him in the next opportunity they get. Spencer may not have exactly gotten his full session at the rehab, but it seems after what's all happened, they'd all forgotten about why he was there in the first place, so that could be scratched off the list, hopefully. It's been close to a year since Reid has been living here, and Aaron and his own son Jack have enjoyed every moment of it, and together they anticipated many more to come.


End file.
